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THE REVOLUTION 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

With a Brief History of 
Her Ancestry. 



ALSO A CONDENSED HISTORY OF THE 
FHiST SETTLEMENT OF JONES- 
BOROUGH, MAOHIAS AND 
OTHER NEIGHBORINO 
TOWNS 



BY 

GEORGE W. DRISKO 



" She looketh well to the ways of her household, and 
eateth not the bread of idleness." — Proverbs xxxi, 27. 



First Edition 1857—Se.co7id Edition 190S 



MACHIAS, ME.: 

Geo. a, Parlin, Publisher 
1903 



IXDKX 



Page 1. IJirtli ;»ihJ iiali\r inwii. 
Page 10 



Page ;i^5. 

Pag<- 4'J. 

I^igc 44. 

rage :)4. 

Page i;."). 

l»age 74. 

Page Ni». 

Page S7. 

Page 1);;. 

IVigc 1>7. 

Pagv to:;. 
Page 107). 
Pa ire l:ll). 



SainiU'l Watts, Mrs. \\\'si(iii's father. Com - 
liiissiou. 

SiiiiHiri Walls" Ilia JTiag>' aii<l i-ciiioxal t,) 
Mahu^ 

.Uk'\ WliitiU'V, hrothri'-iii-iaw nt .Alfs. 
\\'{.'sl(,i!i. r(.'ni<»\a! lo Joiu'slMtro. 

First louii (»Mic<'i'> <»f Jnucshoio. 

Iiieorjxtratioi! i)f Machias. 

First town otliccrs df Machias. 

First iitlicials of Washington Comil y. 

Hannah Wcshin collecting aniinunition ; 
iier powder i(»niaiey to .Maehias. 

41ie ^^'^^sl()n lionse and chil*! hnrne<L 

(iciieaiogv (H tile Watts family. 

.Mrs, Weston in r<:tircment ; her death. 

l*oem i>y \V\\\ i'^reemaji, sr., writteji |»re- 
\ioiis to ^irs, WestoiTs deeease. 

(omineneenu'iit Secoiid E<lition. 

llev. 11. F. Ha ]•( ling's address at tlie un- 
veiling of (lie Weston monument. 

Poem hy F. .1. .\Joor(\ 

Hannah arnl .Josiah Weston's genealogy. 

Hannah Weston (Iraitter I). A. K*. — Names 
of niemhers. 



Pagv 74. l-»Viui Alrd|>",iil iKini ITTo, iiistt'ud of IT^fU; 
Sally, 177;J, instrad of 178^5; Tliomas, 
177(Vinste;id of 178(;». 

}\\gv TOO. For Elsie, read first word Kliza. 

Page 107. F(.)r Aairiet, nad Harrn4. 

Page 111. 'riiere wt'W nine (diildren of IJetsey aii<l 
Stei'lien Fariiswuitli. Instead of K'liil- 
dren of Betsey /fll died yotnig — rea<l 
Everett, Colin, .Afaitlia, .Iosei>Uine <iied 
young, 

Pag'e 114. For C'a ry, read Mary. 

Page 1*2 r). F(^r Melia, read Auieliu. tiftli line from 
bottonh 

T*age 1^J7. Foj- Kanna)i. read l]anna]i^-v{<l line from 
bottom. 



PREFACE, 

In preparing this volume, if no other merit can be 
claimed by the author, he can truly say, that he has 
spent labor and time enough to produce a very much 
larger work, and perhaps a more entertaining one. 

To be brief, concise and correct, as far as possible, 
as to dates and facts, has been his chief aim. The 
character of the Womax, as it appeared from time to 
time, dui'ing the century in which she lived, whose 
history forms the principal part of the book, is what 
the author endeavored to present his readers. She 
was a connecting link bet^veen the last and the present 
century — Tliis may answer to cherish her remembrance 
among her posterity, and when nothing else would, 
awaken interest and inquiry, about the Women, as 
well as the Men, of the Eevolutioii. 

MacMas^ Jan. i, 190^ 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 



CHAPTER I. 

WHILE most of the earlier settled portions of New 
England can furnish recorded reminiscences 
of the Revolution, our own region may unite in put- 
ting forth a claim to meritorious achievement not en- 
tirely uninteresting. Whatever was accomplished, 
whether by man or woman, which of itself contributed 
in any essential degree, directly or indirectly, towards 
securing our National Freedom, is worthy of record 
and remembrance by those, whose privilege of enjoy- 
ment and prosperity is the fruit and substance of their 
years of incessent toil and hardship. Here and there 
one of that devoted Band of Patriots still lives to tell 
of his hard trials during the early days of our Repub- 
lic, and how differently men lived and did then from 
Avhat their inheritors live and do at the present 
day. Now, in our seasons of peace and plenty, it is 
difficult for the mind to penetrate the stern realities of 
the times, as experienced by the early settlers of the 
Eastern section of Maine, seventy-five to a hundred 
years ago. Such of the events as were known to the 
historian, and ^vhich he deemed of sufficient interest 



4 LIFE OP HANNAH \VESTON\ 

to record, we read, but reading is not the experience, 
the realization cannot through imaginary effort com- 
pass either its extent or its influence. We hear the 
frequent tale repeated^ j^et after the season, the recol- 
lections of the past go their way and the excited sym- 
pathy follows. The engagements of the present, with 
its bright encouraging promises of the future leave 
neither time or inclination to go back and mingle in 
the strifes and every-day scenes of our forefathers' 
lives. Generation after generation press onward, cen- 
turies succeed centuries, yet our successors will do us 
less homage than our fathers receive from us, and less 
than they will receive from them. 

The patriotic deeds and bold daring of tlie hero in 
all the enlightened ages of the world Iiave seldom 
passed unobserved, v/hile worthy and quietly i)erformed 
deeds of the heroine are allowed to remain in obscurity. 
The former actuated Avith motives oftentimes covetous 
of the applause and admiration of men, while the lat- 
ter were governed by high incentives to devotion, as 
well as to the yielding inclination to comply Avith the 
requirements of duty. Hence the purity and patriot- 
ism of the motive Avhich prompted the action should 
be considered, in connection with the seemingly great- 
er or less good attained through the performance of 
the deed itself. 

We liave neither hero or heroine in tlie common ac- 
ceptation of the term about whom we propose to Avi'ite, 
but a Avoman aa^Iiosc avIioIc character through life shows 
her possessed of great fortitude and perseverance, in- 
flexible in purpose and cherishing a strict desire on all 



LIFE OF II ANN All WKSTOX 



occasions to do what tlie requirements of duty and nn- 
portance of tlie occasion demanded. Her spirit was 
evidently moulded to the exigencies of the times ni 
which she lived ; as in seasons of calamity, of distress 
and suffering, among her neighbors and friends, her 
own strength of physical endurance was ever sure of 
being thrown into the trial, regardless of what might 
in consequence necessarily follow as the result of a 
denial to her own comfort and personal enjoyment. In 
fact, there was no enjoyment for her, when she knew 
that any one, in whatever condition in life, stood ni 
need of her services, or she felt as though a ray of hope 
could ])e imparted and the waning hold on life revived 
through her ministrati(^ns, at tlie bed side of the sick 
and enfeebled, tlie unfortunate and the forsaken. She 
was indeed a Mother of Israel, and her thousand evi- 
dences of kindness had won for her a greater than this 
nume among the children of men. In her endeavors 
to do good, the applause and approbaticm of others ex- 
ercised over her no controlling hifiuence : the naturally 
suggestive questions of whom shall I please or dis- 
please, caused no delay in her action, but when her ad- 
vice and assistance were required, when eonvinced that 
the counsel of her experience was needed and, that 
o-<,(,d ^^•ould be the result of her labor, she performed 
Tt willingly and without hope or expectation of pecun- 
iary reward. 

ilANNAii Wkstox, whose maiden name was \\ atts, 
and of whose life it is our purpose to give ti brief 
though not miimte history, was born in riaverhill, 
Massachusetts, on the 22d day of November, 1758. Of 



6 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

the precise date of her birth, however, we have not 
been able to find any record, though satisfied ourself 
that the foregoing is the correct date, yet many of her 
friends difi'er with us on this point, thinking, and per- 
haps not without some reason tliat it occurred some 
three years earlier. At about the period of her birth, 
the old Indian war was raging in New England, with 
its greatest terror, and owing to its ravages and devas- 
tation the records of that time were poorly kept, and 
in many instances entirely neglected or wholly de- 
stroyed. Having only those imperfect records, and 
often only those of alternate families, with traditionary 
accounts which have been jjassed down for the last 
hundred and fifty years, and for the most part so re- 
mote, as to find no person living whose youth was 
coeval with their transpiration, the task of collecting 
reliable information becomes doubly laborious and te- 
dious, and detracts very materially from the interest 
which a well prepared biographical history with its 
fully delineated events, and correct data would other- 
wise possess. 

According to the town records of Haverhill, Samuel 
Watts, Hannah's father, was born in that town on the 
16th day of August 1716, and v/as at the time of Han- 
nah's birth a little more than 42 years of age. It also 
appears that her grandfather's name, on her father's 
side was Samuel, and that he was a member of the 
Legislature or General Court of Massachusetts during 
the sessions of 1704 and 1705. The time and place of 
his birth and death we have not been able to ascertain, 
though it is highly probable that both occurred in 



LIFE OF HANXAII WESTON i 

Haverhill ; and it also appears that his father's name 
was /Samuel, it having been retained in the family down 
to the present and seventh generation. From the in- 
formation obtained and the general belief attached to 
traditionary, family sayings, there is but little if any 
doubt, that Hannah's great grandfather on the paternal 
side immigrated to New England sometime about 1640, 
or perhaps 1635, as during the latter year "Some 300 
new settlers were added to the Massachusetts Colony," 
but it is not clearly traceable from what country they 
emigrated, though from general history of the early 
New England settlers there is little or no doubt, that 
they were from Wales, England, and that Samuel 
Watts Avas among them, and that he was among the 
Urst settlers of Haverhill, and that his descendants re- 
mained there for a period of more than a century, 
though the name is unknown there, save by the records; 
even the oldest person living having no recollection of 
hearing it spoken wiien young, and none of the town 
records since 1775 show any Estate holder or tax-payer 
bearing the name. 

It is singular tliat at the last named period not a 
family, or even a person of the name should remain or 
be knoAvn at Haverhill, when at the commencement of 
eighteenth century there were several families, and 
some continued to live there, as is undisputably authen- 
ticated, until 1760 and probably some five or six years 
later. It is probable that at the termination of the 
French and Indian War in 1763, the inhabitants of 
Haverhill, as was the case with other of the first settled 
New England towns, inhabiting as they did a new and 



8 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

comparatively unexplored country, having the fear of 
the savage tribes, and the invasions of the French from 
the settlements of Canada, removed by the Treaty of 
Peace, emigrated to other portions of the country, and 
many of them to the province of Maine ; hence, the 
early disappearance of the Watts' families from that 
town and its vicinity. 

In this connection it may be proper to state, that the 
first settlements known to have been attempted by the 
whites in Maine took place in 1626. They were, how- 
ever, feeble and scattered along shore principally be- 
tween Piscataqua and Penobscot. Great controversies 
arose between these settlers in consequence of Grants 
of land being made by the Plymouth Council to other 
Companies, which prevented any extended settlement 
till 1639, when Sir Ferdinand Gorges secured to him- 
self a distinct Charter or grant to all the land lying be- 
tween the Sagadahoc and Piscataqua rivers, wliich lie 
called the Province of Maine, after a Territory in 
France pronounced similarly and spelled Meyne. 
Sometime about 1640 or 1641 he formed a system of 
government for the province and incorporated a town 
or city near Mount Agamenticus, in Avhat is now York 
County, by the name of Georgeana ; " but neither the 
city nor the province gave evidence of prosperity or 
success." At the request of the people of Maine, the 
province was taken under the jurisdiction of ]\hissa- 
chusetts in 1652, and was made a county called York- 
shire, Avith the privilege of sending deputies or Repre- 
sentatives to the General Court at Boston. "Massa- 
chusetts laid claim to the whole Province as coming 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 9 

and lying within her charter of 1628, and after various 
and prolonged controversies the territory was incor- 
porated with her in 1692. In 1786, '87, 1802, and 1816 
efforts were made by a portion of the people of Maine 
to become separate from Massachusetts, but a majority 
of the inhabitants being averse to the measure, it was 
not effected till March 1820 when by an act of Con- 
gress, the District became an independent state and 
was admitted to the Union." 

It is evident from the early records of Haverhill, as 
from papers preserved and still to be seen, that the 
Watts' were men of ability, and often occupied places 
of trust among their townsmen, as well as in Legisla- 
tive and military capacities. Hannah's father served 
as a Captain during the French and Indian war, cover- 
ing a space of seven years, and terminated as before 
stated in 1763, during which time he was in many 
close engagements and always maintained the greatest 
endurance, coolness and bravery. His commission to 
the Captaincy, which bears date of more than a hun- 
dred years, he always preserved. It is now in posses- 
sion of Capt. Samuel Watts, Jonesboro, as is also the 
muster roll of the company which he commanded, and 
both, having always been kept in the original tin box 
or case, are in a tolerably good state of preservation 
and can be read with but little difficulty. The im- 
provement in the art of printing and manufacture of 
paper, of the present day compared with what existed 
upwards of a century ago, renders these papers inter- 
esting relics of the past, and it is to be hoped that they 
may continue to remain in careful hands and thus be 



10 LITE OP HANNAH WESTON 

preserved to future generations. We deem the com- 
mission of sufficient family interest, aside from the 
general interest attached to it, to give it a place in this 
work. The following is his first commission, being a 
correct copy. 



"Province of New Hampshire. Benning Went worth, 
Esq.; Captain General & Governor in Chief, in and 
over his Majesty's Province of New Hampshire in New 
England &c. 

To Captain Samuel Watts, Gentlemen: Greeting. 
By virtue of the Power of Authority, in and by his 
Majesty's Royal Commission, to me granted, to be Cap- 
tain — General, &c., over this his Majesty's Province of 
New Hampshire, aforesaid ; I do (by these presents) 
reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Loyal- 
ty, Courage and good Conduct, constitute and appoint 
you, the said Samuel Watts, to be Captain of a Com- 
pany in a Regiment of foot, whereof Nath'l Meserve, 
Esq., is Colonel, being the forces raised or to be raised 
within this province for the defence and protection of 
his Majesty's territories from any further encroach- 
ment of the French at or near Crown Point and upon 
Lake Irequois, commonly called by the French, Lake 
Champlain, and for removing any encroachments al- 
ready made there, of which forces John Winslow, Esq., 
is commander-in-Chief. You are therefore carefully 
and diligently to discharge the Duty of a Captain in 
leading, and ordering and exercising said company in 
arms, both inferior officers and soldiers, and to keep 
them in good order and discipline ; hereby command- 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 11 

ing tliem to obey you as a Captain, and yourself to ob- 
serve and follow such orders and instructions, as you 
sliail from time to time receive from me, or the com- 
mander-in-Chief for the time being, or your other Su- 
perior officers for his Majesty service, according to 
rules and Discipline of War, pui'suant to the Trust re- 
posed in You. 

Given under my hmvd and Seal at arms at Ports- 
inouth the first day of May^ in the twe7ity-nii\th 
year of the reign of his Majesty^ King George tJie 
second^ An?iog / Domini^ 1756. 

B. Wentwokth. 
By His Excelencie's Command. 

Theodore W. Kinson, Sec'ty." 



In the same tin box or case is another commission 
to the Captaincy issued by Thomas Hutchinson, 
"Lieutenant Governor and commander-in-Chief of his 
Majesty's forces in the Massachusetts Bay," to serve in 
the regiment of foot whereof John Whitcomb was 
Colonel. This bears date, the 10th day of June, 1760, 
and is signed in the hand writing of Gov. Hutchinson, 
also by A. Oliver, Secretary of the Province. This 
was issued under the Seal at arms at Boston. 

How Capt. Watts came to be commissioned by the 
authorities of the province of New Hampshire is not 
now known. It is believed generally by his descend- 
ants, and we have every reason to believe with correct- 
ness, that he never resided in the Province, having 
always lived at Haverhill until he removed with his 
.family into the territory of Maine. In the year 1759 



12 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

he occompanied Gen. Wolfe on his expedition for the 
reduction of Quebec, and commanded a company of 
forty-one privates, four secretaries and four corporals, 
in Col. Whitcomb's Regiment. Of his actual efficiency 
in that expedition, or with what satisfaction to his su- 
perior officers he performed his duties, we have no re- 
liable means of stating. There is no doubt, however, 
but in that, as in whatever else he attempted, he acted 
well his part, and that his patriotism shranli from no 
responsibility. 



CHAPTER II. 



HANISTAH WATTS, (subsequently Weston,) was 
always remarkable for her courage and forti. 
tude, which oftentimes excited astonishment as well as 
admiration. Such was evidently her nature ; it was 
not borrowed, or affected for any occasion, but ever 
living, ever ready. When we consider from whom she 
descended, and who were her New England ancestry, 
there need arise no wonder or astonishment, unless to 
kindle anew our pride and our regard, when reflecting 
that she so truly retained the vigor and energy of her 
fathers, and so well represented them through the 
lapse of time and intervening space of generations. 

The history of her family is identified with very 
many important events of the early New England 
times Many of those events are prominent before the 
people of today, and are often the recitations of famil- 
iarity, while many of those, who were foremost m word 
and work in bringing them about, have passed away 
in silence, their labor having become finished m 
the attainment, and no desire ever manifested, if in- 
deed such ever existed, to transmit any record to pos- 
terity how far and to what extent, they were them- 
selves influential in tlie accomplishment, and the tradi- 



14 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

tion of generations, changed as most likely it has been, 
remains alone of which to learn and by which to esti- 
mate their character and judge of their patriotism. 

By a comparison of these traditionary sayings with 
early family and town records, we have been able to 
ascertain, beyond doubt, that Mrs. Weston was a direct 
descendant of the famous Mrs. Dustan, who, it will be 
recollected, was taken captive by the Indians, at Hav- 
erhill, Mass., in the year 1697, and who, to effect her 
escape, after a long and perilous journey through the 
wilderness, murdered ten of the savages during the 
dark hours of mid-night, and made her way back to 
Haverhill, after a few months absence, to the surprise 
of her friends, who had supposed her dead. 

It appears that Thomas Dustan married Hannah 
Emerson, December 22, 1677, and that they had thir- 
teen children. The seventh child married John Watts, 
a near family connection of Mrs. Weston's grand-fath- 
er. The eighth cliild was murdered by the Indians, 
while an infant ; and at the time of Mrs. Dustan's cap- 
ture, while Abigail, the eighth child who lived to at- 
tain maturity, married Samuel Watts, Mrs. Weston's 
grandfather, on her father's side. Thus it will be seen 
that the celebrated old Mrs. Dustan was the great- 
grandmother of^Mrs. Weston, and that much of the 
fortitude and heroism of the former was inherited by 
the latter, as we shall elsewhere have occasion to re- 
cord. The account of Mrs. Dustan's capture, treatment 
while in, and means adopted to secure her release from 
captivity, forming as it does an interesting portion of 
the family history, we have thought best to insert 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 15 

here. The following from Goodrich's United States 
History, is to the point : 

"In an attack, by a body of Indians, on Haverhill, 
Mass., in the winter of 1697, the concluding year of the 
war, a party of the assailants approached the house of 
a Mr. Dustfin. Upon the first alarm he flew from a 
neighboring field to his family. Seven of his children 
he directed to flee, while he himself went to assist his 
wife, who was confined to the bed with an infant a 
week old. — But before she could leave her bed the sav- 
ages arrived. 

In despair of rendering her assistance, Mr. Dustan 
flew to the door, mounted his horse, and determined, in 
his own mind, to snatch up and save the child which 
he loved best ; but, upon coming up to them, he found 
it impossible to make a selection. He determined, 
therefore, to meet his fate with them ; to defend and 
save them from their pursuers or die by their side. 

A body of Indians soon came up with him, and from 
short distances fired upon him and his little company. 
For more than a mile, he continued to retreat, placing 
himself between his children and the fire of the sav- 
ages, and returning their shots with great spirit and 
success. As Mr. Dustan quitted his house a party of 
Indians entered it. Mrs. Dustan was in bed, but they 
ordered her to rise, and before she could completely 
dress herself, obliged her and her nurse, a Mrs. Teft, to 
quit the house, which they plundered and set on fire. 

In these distressing circumstances, Mrs. Dustan be- 
gan her march, with other captives, into the wilderness. 
The air was Jieen, and their path led alternately 



16 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

through snow and deep mud, and her savage conduct- 
tors delighted rather in the infliction of torment than 
the alleviation of distress. The company had proceeded 
but a short distance, when an Indian, thinking the in- 
fant an incumbrance, took it from the nurse's arms, 
and violently terminated its life. Such of the other 
captives as began to be weary, and incapable of pro- 
ceeding, the Indians killed with their tomahawks. 
Feeble as Mrs. Dustan was, both she and her nurse 
sustained with wonderful energy the fatigue and mis- 
ery attending a journey of one hundred and fifty miles. 

On their arrival at the place of their destination, 
they found the wigwam of the savage who claimed 
them as his personal property, to be inliabited by 
twelve Indians. In the ensuing April, this family set 
out, with their captives, for an Indian settlement still 
more remote. The captives were informed that, on 
their arrival at the settlement, they must submit to be 
stripped, scourged, and run the gauntlet between two 
files of Indians. This information carried distress to 
the minds of the captive women, and led them prompt- 
ly to devise some means of escape. 

Early in the morning of the 10th of May, Mrs. Dus- 
tan awakening her nurse and another fellow-prisoner, 
they despatched ten of the twelve Indians, while asleep. 
The other two escaped. — The women then pursued 
their difficult and toilsome journey through the wilder- 
ness, and at length arrived in safety at Haverhill. 
Subsequently they visited Boston, and received at the 
hand of the General Court, a handsome consideration 
for their extraordinary sufferings and heroic conduct. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 17 

The precise date of Samuel Watts and Abigail Dus- 
tan's marriage, we have not been able to learn, though 
it is probable that it occm-red in 1716. — The children 
of this marriage were Samuel (Mrs. Weston's father) 
born August 29th, 1716; Hannah, July 23d, 1718; 
Thomas, May 17th, 1720 ; Joseph, November 4th, 1722; 
Abigail, February 16th, 1725 ; Mary, March 5th, 1726. 
Abigail, mother of this family, died May 5th, 1727, 
when Samuel was but little more than ten years old. 



CHAPTER III. 

SAMUEL, the eldest child, married at Haverhill 
sometime about 1740. Of this, however, Ave have 
no reliable means of knowing further than that he 
married ; neither have we been able to ascertain, after 
a great deal of inquiry and research, to whom he mar- 
ried. It is also generally accredited, that Capt. Watts 
had no children by his first wife. His second wife was 
Elsie Bean. His second marriage occurred at Haver- 
hill, where the most, if not all of his children were 
born. Of his second marriage we have no reliable 
record as to date, but circumstances unite to prove con- 
clusively that it took place in 1755 or 1756. We have 
nothing at hand which will admit of speaking of Miss 
Bean's family. No family record has been preserved, 
if indeed one was kept, and nothing definite or in any 
measure reliable can be traced down through so many 
generations, especially where only the ordinary tran- 
sactions of life are passed from one to another, unaided 
save by memory. Enough to know that Miss Bean 
was of respectable descent and was worthy of being 
the wife of so good a man as Capt. Watts. Of Capt. 



LrP'E OP HAKICAH WESTON 19 

AVatts' brothers and sisters, none ever came to Maine. 
It is not known where they lived and died. Some of 
the family of Mrs. Weston have a vague idea that they 
went to England in company with their father, during 
the French and Indian war. If so, in all probability 
they remamed there, and Mrs. Weston's father was the 
only one that continued to live in this country. This 
seems probable, as no trace of the family, or the name, 
has been known m Haverhill for the last seventy-five 
years, as we elsewhere stated, on the authority of the 
written liistory of that town. Another not very im- 
probable conjecture is, that they emigrated to Caro- 
lina or some of the Central or Western states, then 
comparatively new and rapidly filling up with adven- 
turers from Old as well as New England. Or, a part 
of the family with the father, might have gone to Eng- 
land, while the others not caring to live where sur- 
roundings constantly reminded them of distant friends, 
emigrated ; Samuel, only, coming East, and thus sep- 
arated by distances, wars and misfortunes, all com- 
munication and knowledge of one another were pre- 
cluded. 

Sometime about 1760 to 1762 Capt. Watts removed 
from Haverhill to Falmouth, now Portsmouth, or Cape 
Elizabeth, Maine. He resided there but a few years, 
as in 1769 in company Avith a large numloer of families, 
he again moved farther East, and settled on Chandler's 
Kiver, now Jonesboro. Oi:dy two or three families 
lived there at the time. A man by the name of Chan- 
dler, the pioneer of the town, having located there 
5ome half dozen years previous, and built a sav/ mill 



20 LIFE OP HANNAH WESTON 

and cleared away the woods to a limited extent. Capt 
Watts built him a log house on what has ever since 
been known as the Watts' lands, and like others set- 
tlers of a new country devoted himself to clearing his 
fields and farming in the simimer, and in the winter 
to lumbering. The hardships attending the support 
of a family were very severe, yet his great persever- 
ance enabled him to realize a comfortable living. 

We have already alluded to the settlement of Jones- 
boro, and as this town ^^as the residing, as it is the 
resting place, of the subject of our story, we shall be 
pardoned if v/e give a few interesting items concerning 
its earlier times. 

Mr. Judah Chandler was the pioneer of the place 
beyond a doubt. No evidence exists, that we are 
aware of, to show that he was not the first white man 
who attempted a settlement there, while on the con- 
trary, enough is known to prove very satisfactorily, 
that he built the first house in town. One or two 
gentlemen by the name of Bucknam accompanied Mr. 
Chandler, and aided him in building a saw mill. It is 
not known how long the Messrs. Bucknam lived in 
town, if indeed, they resided there at all. Mr. Chandler's 
house was built of rough logs, and stood on the side of 
the hill, between the house of Joshua Whitney and the 
present mills. 

Mr. Chandler built his house and mill sometime 
about 1764. We have been particular in giving the 
spot where the first house was built, as it may be use- 
ful for future reference. The first saw mill was erect- 
ed on tiie dam where the mills on the main river now 



LIFE OF HANJfAH WESTON 21 

stand. The river in the vicinity of the mills, and par- 
ticularly just below the dam, was much narrower than 
it is now. We have heard the old people speak of a 
"cornfield"" below the dam on the south side, that was 
tilled for many years, where for a considerable period 
back the tide has flown to a height of several feet. 

Chandler's mill stood on the north side of the river. 
This was the only mill in the place for some years. 
Subsequently Captain Ephraim Whitney, a very active 
business man, and who, at this writing. May 12, 1857, 
is living at an advanced age, rebuilt Chandler's mill ; 
also built another on a site in the central part of the 
river, known as the "Kennebec" mill. The master 
builder was a Kennebec man, hence the name of the 
**01d Kennebec" which is a familiar phrase among the 
the millmen in Jonesboro, to this day. — At a later 
period the mill built by Captain Whitney, on the site 
of the Chandler mill, was torn down, and the present 
substantial mill put up in its place, by Porter Whitney, 
youngest son of Captain Whitney. Besides the saw 
mills, at various i>eriods a full quota of lath mills were 
erected — also a grist mill, being the same standing 
there now, and the only one ever built in the town. 
In addition to the mills on the main river, there were 
the "tide mills," on the east side of the river, some 
three miles below ; a mill at Englishman's River and 
one on "Beaver Brook," in the Farnsworth district. 

Capt. Watts built his house sometime about 1769, 
very near the spot where Reuben Whitney's house now 
stands. His land comprised the lots now occupied by 
Erancis Schoppe, the Simpson lieirs, Thomas Flahartj 



22 LIFE OF HANXAH WESTON 

and heirs of O.. F. Whitney, Avside from the active 
part he took relative to the invasion of Machias in 1775- 
6-7, Captain Watts was not publicly known. Already 
passed three score years and a half, he felt the infirm- 
ities of ag-e., and enjoyed himself best at home in the 
peaceable, unanibitioiis pursuits of life. — The exact 
time of his death is not known, though there can be 
but little doubt, that it occurred sometime in the year 

1788, making his age abirnt seventy- two years, Ko 
stone, or slab has been put up to mark the spot where 
he liCvS. His grave is but few steps distant from where 
his house was, being- in the Schoppe field, at the South 
east of the house occupied by Francis Schoppe, She, 
wlio was his companion through life, slumbers by his 
sidCc Her death took place some years subsequent to 
his. Other graves are there, part of which are known, 
and possibly some one living may know their precise 
resing place. Seventy-nine years have passed away 
since his death, aud with that lapse of time, all of those 
more directly connected with and interested in him. 

Sometime about 1767 Joel Whitney moved to 
"Chandler's River" this being the name of the place till 

1789, when it was granted to John C. Jones, by Massa- 
chusetts. Mr. Whitney came from Falmouth. Pre- 
viously he mari'ied JMary AVeston, a sister of Josiah 
Weston. He built a log house at the end of the mill 
dam on the South side of the river, and near the "corn- 
field" before alluded to. Hannah Whitney, daughter 
of Joel, was the first female of English parentage, and 
the first child, born in town. Captain Eplnaim Whit- 
ney, brother of Hannah, some tAvo years younger, was 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 23 

the first white male child l)orii in the town. These 
two children were born in the house above mentioned, 
which in Captain Whitney's words was very smal^ 
"Being all in one room, with thi'ee small windows ; a 
chimney in one end, and the door in one corner." 

Joel Whitney was a prominent man in his time 
His judgment was much relied on in business matters 
and he acted as sort of counsellor in matters requiring 
adjudication. He died quite young, however, much 
lamented, leaving his estate, consisting, of lands, mill^ 
<fec., to the care of his son Epliraim, who had not yet 
attained his majority.. The latter proved himself an 
enterprising young man. He possessed good natural 
business abilities, which soon enabled him to add large- 
ly to the proj)erty left by his father, and gave him good 
^standing at home and abroad. Subsequently, he pur- 
chased the house, on "Jackson Hill,'' built, we believe, 
by a Mr. Bucknam, which he enlarged and inaproved, 
and ever afterwards occupied.— He married Sarah 
Noyes, a good, kind heai'ted woman, by whom he had 
a large family of children. Both are now living, at an 
advanced age, though the long term of nearly seventy 
years has passed away since their fortunes were united 
at the hymenial altar. Ten of their children are yet 
living. One died when quite young and two, after 
having attained the meridian of life. 

Captain Whitney was a meml:)er of the State Legis. 
lature of Massachusetts, two years in succession. He 
was a member of the Convention which formed the 
Constitution of Maine in 1820 ; also, a member of the 
first Legislature of Maine after it was admitted in to 



34 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

the Union as an independent State, and at a later per- 
iod, represented his district in the State Legislature, at 
Augusta. In these positions he discharged his duties 
faithfully and to the acceptance of his constituency. 
He made many valuable acquaintances among New 
England men, the remembrance of which he cherished 
with pleasure. Representing a new part of the State, 
and being familiar with the needs of the people, his 
advice was generally listeneded to with attention. 
Being a practical man himself, he suggested no step, 
which he did not deem of practical utility to the in- 
habitants, whose representative he was. 

During his early years he was repeatedly chosen 
Assessor, Selectman, Treasurer, and Agent of the town. 
Was Captain of a company of Militia, in those days, 
when military positions were more highly honored and 
esteemed, and justly too, than they are now. 

We have thus alluded to Captain Whitney, as his 
whole life was so closely connected Avith the town, as 
one of its most efficient men, that it seemed proper to 
do so. He was born November 7, 1770. 

Chandler's river was one of the best timbered in the 
State of Maine, in proportion to its size. A heavy 
growth of old pine lined its banks on either side for 
miles back. When first settled it was soon discovered 
that near its source, the beavers, an animal common to 
this section of the country in its early settlement, had 
thrown high dams across the main river and of its two 
principal branches, causing the water to flow over an 
immense tract of flat country, thereby converting it 
into meadow, or grass-producing land. This drew the 



LIFE OP HANNAH WESTON 25 

settlers thither to procure supplies of hay for their 
cattle. Especially in winter, this proved a valuable 
privilege, as their lumber operations were much facili- 
tated by it A natural consequence was, that attempts 
were made to clear these meadows by fire, which, while 
it had the desired effect, vast breadths of excellent 
timber were prostrated, really of more value to Maine 
than California gold mines. Timber was then abund- 
ant, hence the loss was not felt, though in later years 
it has proved otherwise. In another view these 
meadows have proved disadvantageous to the people. 
Rolying on them for their necessary supply of hay, 
they were wont to neglect their farms ; and even now, 
this symptom is quite visible. A few have made pe- 
cuniary gains by becoming owners of the meadows, 
and demanding high rents of those, whose needs forced 
them to become "Rights men." For years and years 
back, these meadows have been staked off into lots or 
rights, and appear to be regarded as a sort of hereditary 
property. 

The first scliool in tiie town was taught by a Miss 
Cook, who claimed to be a near relative of the cele- 
brated navigator, of that name. The school was kept 
in a house a little to the northward of the house now 
occupied by Joshua Whitney. It was built and owned 
by a Mr. Thompson. 

The first school house built in the town stood near 
where Capt. E. Richardson's house now stands. For a 
long time this was the only school house, and schools 
not kept here, were kept in private houses. A whole 
generation received their first education in that old 



26 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

school house. — Men of forty to fifty years, now living 
will remember it distinctly well. Among others, we 
think of Colonel Daniel Merritt, a man and politician 
of considerable note, now a resident of Jay, Maine. 
Abraham N. Noyes, Esq., merchant^ Belfast, Maine • 
Nathaniel C. Farnsworth, Preceptor of an Academy, 
at or near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, who received their 
A, B, C lossons there. 

Rev. James Lyon, of Machias, was the minister, who 
preached the first sermon, and held the first religious 
meeting in the place. This occurred at Captain Whit- 
ney's house, and must have been prior to 1790, though 
the exact time is not now known. The first meeting 
house was built in 1841, and immediately following 
the great religious revival of the previous year, under 
the preaching of Rev. Mr. Carruthers, a Scotchman, 
well known in that and all the adjoining towns. 

The first Post Master in the town was William Tup- 
per, father of the late Ansel Tupper. He received his 
appointment when Benjamin Franklin was Post Master 
General. He kept his office in his house, which stood 
on the hill, very near where the meeting house now 
stands. Ansel Tupper succeeded his father in that 
office, which has subsequently been filled by Ephraim 
Whitney, Francis Schoppe, Z. M. Hall, George W. 
Taylor and F. B. Farnsworth. 

For sometime after the senior Tupper was made 
Post Master, the mail was carried on foot, by a Mr. 
Moon, once a fortnight, from Sullivan's Ferry, via. 
Gouldsboro, Narraguagus, Pleasant River and Machias, 
to Passamaquoddy. It was not burdensome as the 



LIFE OF HANXAH WESTON 27 

earlier sometimes enclosed it in his pocket-handker- 
chief 1 Subsequently it was carried on horseback, then 
in a single horse wagon, and finally, as roads were 
opened and bridges thrown aeross the streams, in 
coaches drawn by two or four horses. 

Prior to 1809 newspapers were not easily obtained. 
For some time the only one taken in town was by 
Capt. Whitney, the "Columbian Centinel," printed at 
Boston, Afterwards Capt. Hall and Mr, Weston took 
one together. 

The first siiil vessel whicli appeared in the river, 
was a sloop, about the year 1785. A Mr. Locke visited 
the place for the purpose of trade. He kept his goods 
in his vessel, which he exchanged for lumber. When 
the owners chose to send their lumber to Boston, Capt. 
Locke would freight it for a share of one-fourth. 

The first store built in town, was owned by a Mr, 
Parsons. He built a small wharf near "Tupper's 
Rocks" so called, and just above the wharf he erected 
^1 store. He traded there for some years with profit to 
himself and advantage to tlie people. Vessels receiv- 
and discharged their freights at Parjson's wharf. 

Among the first mechanics who lived in the town 
was a Mr. Webb. He kept his shop in a room of his 
house, where he performed the duties of a blacksmith 
very skillfully and with greiit convenience to his 
neighbors. His house was near the "apple tree" on 
Jackson Hill. Michael Whitney was another black- 
smith who succeeded Mr. Webl). For many years the 
only shoemaker in the place was a Mr. AVhitney. He 
was considered a faithful workman as the soles of the 
people often testified. 



28 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

Jonesborough, as before stated, was granted by the 
state, to John C. Jones and otliers, January 1st, 1789. 
It then included the districts of "Buck's Harbor" and 
"Little Kennebec," the former now belonging to Ma- 
chiasport and the latter to Machias — Also, the whole, 
of what now constitutes the town of Jonesport. It con- 
tained 48,160 acres. It was incorporated, the 4th of 
March, 1809, being the 176th town. By a general law 
of Massachusetts each incorporated toAvn was entitled 
to a Representative in the General Court, (Legislature) 
at Boston. The next year, Cajjt. Whitney was elected 
Representative. 

It is sometimes said by the old people, that Massa- 
chusetts granted Jones the towns of Jonesboro and 
Cutler, as a renumeration for a sloop, owned by Jones, 
which with other vessels, w^as sent in an expedition 
against Castine, but was lost. Estimating the sloop at 
a very high value, the land could have cost no more 
than three cents an acre ! We do not vouch for the 
fact, though it was generally accredited in those days. 

The first "framed" house built in the town was the 
one before alluded to, built by Mr. Bucknam, and subi 
sequently purchased by Capt. Whitney. — The cost of 
building such a house was very great. For instance 
the nails used for boarding the walls cost seventy-five 
cents per pound ; common door latches cost seventy- 
five cents ; the same article can be had now for ten 
cents. No lime could be had for plastering the rooms, 
consequently boards were used for ceiling on the walls 
and overhead. Of course no unnecessary expense was 
made, while the strictest economy was practiced. Ne- 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 29 

cessity is the mother of mvention — as the early settlers 
practically shew. 

At some periods during the Revolutionary war, the 
scarcity of provision was very great. For weeks to- 
gether not a kernel of corn or an ounce of flour could 
be obtained. The clam beds kept the people alive ; 
while they tilled the soil, cut their hay and gathered 
their farm produce with nothing to live on except po- 
tatoes, fish and deer meat, which served to give addi- 
tional relish to tlieir clam soup, and make a change of 
diet. At one time a barrel of flour was obtained for 
which the proprietor paid eighteen dollars. At anoth- 
er time a few bushels of corn were brought in by a 
trader, which he exchanged for lumber, giving two 
bushels for a thousand feet. This had to be carried by 
water, to Machias, to get it ground into meal. The 
plain loaves of bread, which that corn was converted 
into, were consumed by a people more thankful than 
any we in our day have ever witnessed. 

The first town meeting, warned by Ephraim Whit- 
ney, by virtue of a warrant from Stephen Jones, Jus- 
tice of the Peace, was held on the 27th day of March 
1809. At this meeting the people made unanhnous 
choice of the following officers : 



80 LIFE OP HANNAH WESTON 

Ephraim Whitney, Moderator^ 

Adin Ayers, Town Clerk, 

Adin AyeRvS, 

Ephraim Whitney^ 

Ansel Tupper, f- Selectmen. 

John Sawyer, Jr., 

Paul Thompson, Senr.,^ 

JosiAH NoYEs, Constable. 

Adin Ayers, ^ 

Ephrajm Whitney, > Assessors. 
An8el Tupper^ ) 

Ephraim Whitney, Treasurer. 

One incident, showing tlie difficulties of pioneer life, 
we will here relate. As befoie stated, after the death 
of Joel Whitney, his sons Ephraim and Reuben succeed- 
ed him in his busmess, the former being principal. 
One day while sawing in the mill, they had the mis- 
fortune to break the crank. Lumber was bringing a 
fair price, and having a contract to fill, tlie accident 
was one of considerable seriousness, to say iiothmg of 
the incidential loss. No Blacksmith was then in town, 
and the crank was heavy, weighing just about two 
hundred ]30unds. After a few moments reflection, it 
was agreed to have it taken out, and that Reuben the 
younger brotlier, should take it to Columbia on horse- 
back to be repaired. There was nothing but a foot- 
path, and poor at that, and no bridge across Indian 
River. In due time the horse was made ready, the 
crank put on his back and secured in the best possible 
manner with straps and lines, and by a halter was led 
by his attendant on his journey. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 31 

No difficulty was experienced until coming to the 
river before mentioned. Here the water was running 
with considerable force and deep enough to cover the 
horse's back. If an attempt to ford was made and the 
crank was lost off, a long time must ensue before it 
could be recovered, and the milling at Jonesboro would 
be entirely suspended. The only thing practicable, 
that could be done in any safety, was to remove the 
crank from the horse's back and carry it across the 
river on his (Reuben's) shoulders. This was a task, as 
only a single pole spanned the river, but it teas per- 
formed successfuUy. The horse was then got over, the 
crank reloaded, and carried safely to Columbia ; and 
uext day returned, the river crossing being effected in 
precisely the same way as on the previous day ! Not 
more than one man in a thousand could have done so 
much. It showed the perseverance and energy of men 
in times of trial and hardship. 

The travelled path for many years, from Jonesboro 
to Machias, led from the mill in the former place over 
c'Machias hill," thence by a circuitous route to the lat- 
ter town. No carriage of any kind, except a single 
sleigh, the horse being driven by General Cobb, of 
Oouldsboro, ever passed through on this route, and 
that only once. The path was for the accommodation 
of foot people and on horseback. Subsequently a road 
was cut through near where the old county road now 
is, and from time to time the people of the two places 
built it to the dividing line, so that teams and car- 
riages could travel over it very conveniently. Prior to 
tliis a large amount of travel, and all the transporta- 



82 UFB OF HANNAH WESTON 

tion was effected by means of boats. — Two days were 
required to perform the journey by water. In stormy 
weather it was dangerous, and often excited the deep™ 
est solicitude, 



CHAPTER IV. 

MACHIAS and Jonesboro were settled at about the 
same time. We have hastily passed through 
with a few points touching the early history of the lat- 
ter, and as the two were very generally interested in 
each other in earlier times, it is well, in this place, to 
give a passing notice to the former. 

Machias was incorporated June 22, 1784, being in 
order the 7 2d town, and the first municipal corpora- 
tion established between the St. Croix and Penobscot 
rivers. This place was first visited by men from Scar- 
boro, for the purpose of cutting hay on its extensive 
marshes, in 1761-2. They examined the Falls, selected 
mill sites, and made calculation for removal as soon as 
they could effect a change in affairs at home. 

In May 1763 they formed an association including 
sixteen persons and moved their effects to Machias, 
called "Mechisses" by the Indians. Their names were 
S. and S. Scott ; T. D. and G. Libby ; D. Fogg ; J. and 
W. B. Larrabee ; J. and S. Stone ; J. Foster ; Josiah 
and D. Hill. Most of these settled at "West Falls." 
The Messrs. Foster, Munson, Sevey and Scott settled 
at "East Falls." In 1765 Morris O'Brien and his sons 
settled at the former place, and built a double saw 
mill on the South side of the Falls. The year previous 
the "Associates" had erected a mill, laid out a seven 
acre lot, one for each person, and built eleven log 



34 LIPE OF HANNAH WESTON 

houses, in which they hved. A Mrs. Larrabee. wife 
of one of the company, was tlie first English, or Amer- 
can woman who had lived in the town. Accessions 
were made each year to the settlement. In 1765 a 
mill was built on East River, a few rods above the 
tide, by Benjamin Foster, assisted by a Mr. Jones. 
Before 1770 several mills were erected on both East 
and West rivers, and one on Middle river. — This year 
the inhabitants applied, in June, to the General Court, 
in a petition bearing eighty names, for a grant of the 
township. The Assembly acceded to the wish, and 
confirmed it to the settlers, with the usual reservation 
of lots for public uses. A proviso was inserted in the 
confirmation, that the King's assent should be obtained 
before three years, but before this was accomplished 
the Revolutionary war commenced, and with its suc- 
cess all royal claims were extinguished. 

The first minister who resided at Machias, was Rev. 
James Lyon. He Avas a native of Princeton, New 
Jersey, was there educated, and first settled at Nova 
Scotia. He came to Machias in 1771, organized a 
church in 1781, made himself a very useful man among 
the people, and died in October, 1794, much lamented. 
He was very active during the two or three first years 
of the war of the Revolution, as we may have occasion 
elsewhere to show. 

In 1784 the settlers built a church, the first put up 
in the town. It stood near the lot now occupied by 
the Libby Hall building. Nearly opposite this, and 
near where the Smith house now is : the fort was built 
in 1776. In the neighborhood of this fort, the famous 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 36 

"Liberty Pole" was raised by the heroic O'Briens and 
other people of Machias, just previous to the capture 
of the "Margranetto," in June, 1775. 

Wiliamson, in his history of Maine, says — "Mech- 
isses," now Machias, "seemed to have attracted much 
attention, ever since its situation first fell under the 
eye of visitants, whether English or French. In 1693, 
the Plymouth Colonists established a trading house 
there ; the French attempted to settle it in 1644, and 
in 1763 men from Scarborough, formed a permanent 
plantation." 

As before stated, the General Court granted these 
settlers the township on the usual terms. — A little 
prior to this, or about the same time, the Earl of Cath- 
erlougli, Lord Viscount Falmouth, and a Mr. Vassal, 
proposed, if assisted and supported by the General 
Court of Massachusetts, to settle the lands twelve 
miles in width on each side of Machias river, "back 
fiftj^ miles from its moutli, with six hundred families, 
containing at least 3000 souls. This was checked by 
the grant to the Scarborough men before mentioned." 

The people of Machias were brave and patriotic. 
For their bold stand against the usurpation of their 
rights and invasion of their privileges by their British 
neighbors. The affair of 1775 gave them much credit, 
on account of which, we copy from Williamson's 
histor}^ : 

"The place, though it had been settled only twelve 
years, now contained about eighty families and one 
hundred single men. Capt. Ichabod Jones of Boston, 
whose Avife and daughter were with their kindred at 



86 LITE OP HANNAH WESTON 

Machias, obtained leave of Admiral Graves to freight 
his vessel with provisions, and carry them to the set- 
tlement ; upon condition of returning with a cargo of 
wood and lumber for the British troops. Jones was 
accompanied thither by the Margranetto, an English 
schooner, armed with four or five four pounders in the 
hold, several swivels mounted, and a sufficient number 
of hand granades ; being commanded by midshipman 
Moore, a relation of the Admiral. On their arrival in 
the West branch, Jones had a meeting of the settlers 
called, early in June, who took a view of their desti- 
tute and remote situation, and passed votes permitting 
his vessel to load. But Benjamin Foster and a party 
from East River, conceived the bold design of making 
the British officers their prisoners, while attending 
public worship on the Sabbath ; and likewise the Mar- 
granetto their prize, while lying below the point form- 
ed by the confluence of West and Middle rivers. As 
he, or some of his party, however, were passing over 
armed to the Northerly side of West river ; the offi- 
cers (who were in the meeting) discovered them, and 
barely avoided seizure, by going instantly on board. — 
As Foster was thus disappointed in his first object and 
plan, he sent for O'Brien and his sons, with whom he 
held a consultation in the woods, two miles below 
O'Brien's house ; when it was concluded to make an 
attack upon Moor's schooner in East River, and O'Brien 
and his party took Jones' largest sloop in the West 
River, and having prepared for action, both proceeded 
down the rivers, on Monday, some armed Avith 
muskets and some with pitchforks, and manoeuvered to 



LIFE OF IIANXAII WKSTOX 37 

lay their vessels along side of the enemy and board 
her. To prevent it several hand granades weva thrown 
at O'Brien, Foster and their companions, also several 
swivels and muskets were discharged at them, by 
which two of O'Brien's men, McNeil and Colbeth were 
killed, and two or three others were badly wounded. 
But the British schooner received a deadly lire in i-e- 
turn ; and Moore, who made a brave defence, presently 
fell of a mortal wound. At the same time, one Avery, 
master of a Connecticut coaster then in the harlx)r 
happening to be on board was killed ; and several of 
Moore's men were either slain or received fatal wounds. 
The bloody skirmish so terrified the second officer in 
command, a youn^ midshipman, that he fled panic- 
struck to the cabin. She was then boarded and soon 
brought up to the foot of the West Falls in triumph. 
Moore, who was kindly carried ashore^ died the next 
day." 

A brother of Mrs. Weston, Samuel Watts, a lad of 
eighteen years, always claimed to have fired the fatal 
shot by which Capt. Moore fell.^ — Circumstances indi- 
cate the truthfulness of his claim. Capt. Moore was 
the first naval officer who fell in the Revolution. It is 
not known whether he was buried in Machias or not^ 
though it is quite probable that he was. Mr. Watts, 
by whose unerring aim he fell, was pensioned by gov- 
ernment for his services in this engagement, and sub- 
sequent service in aiding the people of Machias to re- 
pulse the British at various times. 

His grave may be found in a private burying ground 
on the Hall farm, in Jonesboro. His memory deserves 



3S LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

a monument with a suitable inscription so that future 
generations can find tho resting place of the citizen 
soldier^ who killed the first Biitish, na\^l officer^ at the 
commencement of tlie American Revolution. The 
marks, and little mound, incident to tlie common grave 
are not enoughs 

It was to assist in the captui-e oi' the Margranetto^ 
that MrSv Weston and her sister4n4aw, brought pow- 
der through the wilderness fix^ni Jonesborou^h, an ac- 
count of which \VQ shall give eLsewherCv Her husband 
assisted in the capture of the vessel, and some of her 
familx^ think that her fath«^.r was among the victors. 
We are inclined to think otherwise, a-s he was about 
seventy j^eai-s of age. His spirit and patriotism would 
have urged him forward, but physical infirmities pre- 
vented. 

The determined spirit of resistance manifested by 
the people of Machias, caused tiie British Admiralty 
no little anxiety. In August 1777, four armed vessels 
were sent against the town.— "They came to an anchor 
at the foot of the Narrows, a mile or more below the 
junction of East and West Machias Rivers. They first 
burned a tide mill and took a coasting sloop, and the 
next day proceeded with her and their brig up the 
West River. It being foggy they landed at the "In- 
dian Brim," two and half miles below West village. 
Here they burned two houses, two barns and a build- 
ing used for a guard house— all near the battery. The 
barges then towed the brig and the sloop to the mouth 
of Middle River (near where the ship yards on the 
point are) in a dead calm, and anchored them half a 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 39 

mile below the foot of West Falls, when it was high 
water and near sunset. Being briskly attacked by 
Major Stillman and his party on the Western side, and 
on the other by Joseph Neptune, Chief of the Passa- 
maquoddy tribe, the men were driven from their 
barges on l)oai'd of the brig, and before she could be 
worked down to Indian Brim, she run ashore, and the 
men to save their lives went below deck. When she 
floated, she received so brisk a fire from the Korth 
shore, that her crew could not manage her and she 
grounded again ; yet with a fair breeze, she at last ef . 
fecied a retreat to the other vessels at anchor. Every 
man in the place able to bear arms was upon the 
shores ; in addition there were present between forty 
and fifty Indian fighters, who raised and kept up a 
hideous yell, which being echoed by the whites in sim- 
ilar Indian tone, so reverberated through the forests 
as to induce the supposition that they wei'e full of wild 
savages. Discouraged by these appearances, and by 
the vigor and spirit with which they were resisted, the 
British squadron in a day or two left the place." They 
afterwards (the British officers) caused extravagant ac- 
counts of their expedition to be published ; stating, 
that two magazines full of hides, rice and other stores 
had been destroj^ed. These must have been a grist 
mill and one of the houses burned, which was occu- 
pied by a shoemaker, wliere they saw some tanned 
hides I 

Nothing saved Machias and all the settlements to the 
Eastward of the Penobscot, but the friendliness of the 
Indians. Had they been induced to joined the British 



40 LIFE OF UANNAH WESTOlJf 

and aided in the plunder of the feeble towns, the whole 
population must have been destroyed. It is to their 
credit and ought not be forgotten by our people, that 
they rigidly adhered to the American cause. Their 
descendants among us are few and feeble, but they are 
the lingering representatives of a tribe, who made 
the cause of our fathers, their cause and whose claim 
to the sympathies of the people of Eastern Maine 
ought never die. 

On account of this attack on Machias, several com- 
panies of militia from Cumberland County, were or- 
dered out, and all of them tarried until late in the fall. 
No serious attempt was made on the town after- 
wards. During the Revolution the settlers labored 
under great embarrassment. Money and provisions 
were scarce, and business pursued under very serious 
disadvantages. 



LIFE OF HAN^^AH WKSTON 17 

The precise date of Samuel Watts and Abigail Dus- 
tan's marriage, we have not been able to learn, though 
it is probable that it occurred in 1715. — The children 
of this marriage were Samuel (Mrs. Weston's father) 
born August 29th, 1716; Hannah, July 23d, 1718; 
Thomas, May 17th, 1720; Joseph, November 4th, 1722; 
Abigail, February 16th, 1725 ; Mary, March 5th, 1726. 
Abigail, mother of this family, died May 5th, 1727, 
when Samuel was but little more than ten years old. 



CHAPTER III. 

SAMUEL, the eldest child, married at Haverhill 
sometime about 1740. Of this, however, we have 
no reliable means of knowing further than that he 
married ; neither have we been able to ascertain, after 
a great deal of inquiry and research, to whom he mar- 
ried. It is also generally accredited, that Capt. Watts 
had no children by his fii^st wife. His second wife was 
Elsie Bean. His second marriage occurred at Haver- 
hill, where the most, if not all of his children were 
born. Of his second marriage we have no reliable 
record as to date, but circumstances unite to prove con- 
clusively that it took place in 1756 or 1756. We have 
nothing at hand which will admit of speaking of Miss 
Bean's family. Xo family record has been preserved, 
if indeed one was kept, and nothing definite or in any 
measure reliable can be traced down through so. many 
generations, especially where only the ordinary tran- 
sactions of life are passed from one to another, unaided 
save by memory. Enough to know that Miss Bean 
was of respectable descent and was worthy of being 
the wife of so good a man as Capt. Watts. Of Capt. 



LIFE OP nA:NlfAH WESTON 19 

Watts* brothers and sisters, none ever came to Maine. 
It is not known where they lived and died. Some of 
the family of Mrs. Weston have a vague idea that they 
went to England in company with their father, during 
the French and Indian war. If so, in all probability 
they remained there, and Mrs. Weston's father was the 
only one that continued to live in tliis country. This 
seems probable, as no trace of the family, or the name, 
has been known in Haverhill for the last seventy-five 
years, as we elsewhere stated, on the authority of the 
written history of that town. Another not very im- 
probable conjecture is, that they emigrated to Caro- 
lina or some of the Central or Western states, then 
comparatively new and rapidly filhng up with adven- 
turers from Old as well as New England. Or, a part 
of the family with the father, might have gone to Eng- 
land, while tlie others not caring to live where sur- 
roundings constantly reminded them of distant friends, 
emigrated ; Samuel, only, coming East, and thus sep- 
arated by distances, wars and misfortunes, all com- 
munication and knowledge of one another were pre- 
cluded. 

Sometime about 1760 to 1762 Capt. Watts removed 
from Haverhill to Falmouth, now Portsmoutli, or Cape 
Elizabeth, Maine. He resided there but a few years, 
as in 1769 in company mth a large number of families, 
he again moved farther East, and settled on Chandler's 
River, now Jonesboro. Only two or three families 
lived there at the time. A man by the name of Chan- 
dler, the pioneer of the town, having located there 
some half dozen years previous, and built a saw mill 



20 OFE OP HANNAH WESTON 

and cleared away the woods to a limited extent. Capt 
Watts built him a log house on what has ever since 
been known as the Watts' lands, and like others set- 
tlers of a new country devoted himself to clearing his 
fields and farming in the summer, and in the winter 
to lumbering. The hardships attending tlie support 
of a family were very severe, yet his great persever- 
ance enabled him to realize a comfortable living. 

We have already alluded to the settlement of Jones- 
boro, and as this town was the residing, as it is the 
resting place, of the subject of our story, we shall be 
pardoned if we give a few interesting it;ems concerning 
its earlier times, 

Mr. Judah Chandler was the pioneer of the place 
beyond a doubt. No evidence exists, that we are 
aware of, to show that he was not the first white man 
who attempted a settlement there, while on the con- 
trary, enough is known to prove very satisfactorily, 
that he built the first house in town. One or two 
gentlemen by the name of Bucknam accompanied Mr. 
Chandler, and aided him in building a saw mill. It is 
not known how long the Messrs. Bucknam lived in 
town, if indeed, they resided there at all. Mr. Chandler's 
house was built of rough logs, and stood on the side of 
the hill, between tlie house of Joshua Whitney and the 
present mills. 

Mr. Chandler built his house and mill sometime 
about 1764. We have been particular in giving the 
spot where the first house was built, as it may be use- 
ful for future reference. The first saw mill was erect- 
ed on the dam where the mills on the main river now 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 45 

In September of that year a Convention of the peo- 
ple of the District of Maine was held at Portland to 
consider the expediency of separating from Massachu- 
setts, and petitioning for admission into the Union as 
an independent state. The people of Machias were 
prompt in their action on this question ; as in Novem- 
ber following, after "mature deliberation," they re- 
solved, that "It is not expedient to urge a separation 
from the Mother State." A Committee was also raised 
to prepare an address to the Portland Convention, set- 
ting forth the reasons for non-compliance with the 
wishes of the delegates thereof. 

In the early part of the year 1786, by an act of the 
General Court, all the Eastern settlements, in the Pro- 
vince of Maine, were taxed. Machias' assessment was 
iJ302. The following year the town chose a Commit- 
tee, who drew up a long petition or prayer, asking the 
Court, after setting forth the losses and disadvantages 
under which the town labored, to grant relief by re- 
mitting the state tax. Subsequently, in consideration 
of their good services during the war, the General 
Court abated a portion of the tax. In July, 1788, a 
vote was passed in town meeting authorizing the Col- 
lector of Taxes to receive "good merchantable boards, 
at the rate of 18s per thousand, for cash tax." A year 
or two later, the Collector was authorized to receive 
the same kind of lumber for taxes, at the rate of 30s 
per thousand. 

The people of Machias were firmly attached to the 
State and Federal Constitutions. Having occasion to 
instruct James Avery, Esq., the Town Representative 



46 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

in 1790, they say — "We would recommend to you, that 
in all questions that should arise, wherein either the 
Federal or State government may be effected, that you 
never give your voice or vote, in favour of any motion, 
that shall have a tendency to impair the Constitution 
of either. You are sensible that the Inhabitants of 
this town were well pleased with the Constitution of 
the Federal Government in its present form. You are 
to use your best endeavors to support public credit, 
and never to give your vote to defraud any person of 
his honest due." 

Among other embarrassments set forth in the pray- 
er is, that a large debt accumulated against the town, 
in favor of tlie minister. Rev. James Lyon, during the 
war, amounting in all to some £900. The whole in- 
debtedness of the town at this period was upwards of 
£2000. On page 73 of town records made in 1788 it 
is stated, that the previous year two double saw mills 
and one grist mill, with a large quantity of boards 
near them, were destroyed by fire. In the spring of 
1789 "A high freshet carried away the boom across 
the river, by which 3000 logs went over the dam." 
Total loss of mills and logs estimated at £600. In 
town meeting 21st of June, 1790, a vote was passed 
giving permission to the C'ourt of Common Pleas to 
hold its sessions in either of the Meeting houses built 
by the town. 

Grand Jurors were then elected by ballot. — The in-^ 
habitants in a legal meeting for the purpose, elected 
Ben J.Foster; Geo. Stillman; Joseph Sevey; Jere'h 
O'Brien ; Stephen Parker and E. Waterhouse, to serve 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 47 

as such. At same time ten others, "good and lawful" 
men, were "drawn" to serve as petit jurors. These 
men probably served on the Jury, at the first term of 
the Court held in Washington County. 

The town at various times voted sums to pay their 
Representative in the General Court. — Twelve to 
eighteen pounds were usually allowed. One year it 
was resolved not to send any Representative on ac- 
count of the hard times. 

In 1791 the town strongly opposed a movement 
made in the western part of the State or District, for 
a separation from the Commonwealth. A long report 
was made by a select Committee which is recorded. 
The reasons of the opposition were cogently set forth. 

September 24th, 1790, the inhabitants voted for a 
candidate to represent the District of Maine, in the 
"Honorable, the Congress of the United States." Wm. 
Lithgow received ten votes ; Geo. Thatcher, 6. Our 
impression, from examination of the records, is, that 
this was the first vote cast for a member of Congress. 
Why the vote was so small is not accounted for, when 
it is knoAvn there must have been some seventy to 
eighty voters in the town. 

It seems to have been the case, whether originating 
by an act of the General Court, or by custom among 
the people, we do not know, that when a man moved 
into the place with the intention of becoming a resi- 
dent, in town meeting, a vote would be passed, that he 
or they, be taken and "considered as inhabitants of 
the town." 

On the 4th of April, 1791, John Hancock received 



48 LIFE OF HAKNAH WESTON 

137 votes for Governor. We mention this to show the 
change in the vote cast at different periods. April 
2nd, 1792, Governor Hancock received 104 votes. 
May 7th, 1792, the question of separating from Massa- 
chusetts was acted upon. The vote stood in favor of 
separation, 2 ; opposed 113. 

By the town record it appears that the inhabitants 
of Machias took no part in the first election of Presi- 
dent Washington. In 1792, November 2nd, three 
electors for President and Vice-President were ballot- 
ed for. Alexander Campbell had 65 votes ; Nathan 
Jones, 56; Phineas Bruce, 64; Nathaniel Wells, 6; 
Nathaniel Twing, 4. The three first were elected. 
This was at Washington's re-election to the Presidency. 
The reason why the town did not vote at his 
first election, is not known. Their recent organiza- 
tion and remoteness from Head Quarters, probably 
operated to prevent. 

Sometime in 1786, a vessel from an European Port, 
with a large number of outlaws on board, landed at 
what is now known as Little Machias Bay. The con- 
victs were allowed to escape, many of whom found 
their way to Machias, and subsequently caused the 
town considerable expense, in providing for them the 
means of subsistence. — Some of them became, eventu- 
ally, good and useful citizens. One, a man of learning, 
became a teacher, and was very useful in educating the 
lising generation. Their descendants are quite num- 
erous and are an industrious class of people. 

Machias continued to increase in population and 
wealth with a moderate but firm and permanent ratio. 



LIFE OF HANXAH WESTON 49 

Its splendid water power, one of the most reliable in 
all New England, attracted and invited capitalists 
thither, where from time to time mills and various 
kinds of machinery, for the manufacture of lumber, 
have been erected at large cost Originally the salmon 
and ale wive fishery was valuable, but for years back, 
owing to the erection of mills and dams, and the neg- 
lect to build suitable fishways, this source of wealth 
has been entirely destroyed. 

In 1826, East Machias and Machiasport were incor- 
porated into separate towns. In 1845, Whitney ville 
was incorporated, haviiig been started in 1835, by 
Colonel Joseph Whitney, of Calais, a very enterprising 
man, who built a large dam across the main river, and 
erected saw mills. In 1849, Marshfield was incorpor- 
ated. All of these belonged to the old town of Ma- 
cliias, and served to contract its territorial limits, and 
limit it to about the original size of "West Falls." 

In 1836 the Centre street Church (Congregational) 
was erected at an expense of $12,000. Subsequently 
the Methodist Society i>uilt a small but neat and con- 
venient House for public worship. The Congrega- 
tionalists have the largest society, and one of the ear- 
liest founded in the state. 

In 1854, tlie present Court House was built by the 
County. It cost, Avith yard and contingent expense, 
some '$21,000, and is one of the best and most sub. 
stantial buildings of the kind in Maine. Previous to 
this, the Courts were held in a building, owned by 
citizens of Machias, which thej^ leased to the County 
at a stipulated price. 



60 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

In the support and maintainance of public schools, 
Machias has been a model town. It has two large, 
well constructed school houses, besides a number of 
smaller ones, and the organization of the schools on 
the grade system, has proved eminently successful. 
The High School continued through the year, with 
suitable vacations, enables the young man to acquire a 
good business education, or if intending to go through 
a Collegiate course of studies, the facilities for "fitting" 
are very ample, and attained at trifling cost. 

Of newspapers, Machias, perhaps, has produced her 
full quota. In 1823, December 3d, the first number of 
the Evening Star was published by Jeremiah O. Balch, 
This ofiice was at "Eastern Falls." The Star was 
about 14 inches by 22 inches in size, and was furnished 
to subscribers for $2.50 a year, in advance, or $3.00 at 
the expiration of the year. Mr. Balch continued to 
publish his paper for some three years, when, for "want 
of support" its publication was suspended. For some 
thirty years no publisher chose to embark in the enter- 
prise again. Finally, on the 25th of May, 1853, the 
Machias Union was established by Yates & Fur bush, 
and has continued up to the present time, with pros- 
pects of becoming a permanent institution. On the 
19th of June, 1856, the Machias Repuhlican Avas started. 
This furnishes a fair share of newspaper reading and 
enterprise for a small country town. 

We did not design in the commencement to give 
anything like a history of Machias. We have stated 
but a few prominent facts. Its history when deline- 
ated by the faithful pen, as we trust ere long it will 



LIFE OP HANNAH WESTON hi 

be, is too important and of too much real interest, to 
be passed upon by an unfaithful hand. The early set- 
tlers were stix)ng in their attachments to freedom. 
They disdained British rule and neglected no oppor- 
tunity to manifest it by deed. They caught the spirit 
that burned at Concord and Lexington, and while the 
brave Warren and his comrades were pouring out 
their life's blood on Bunker Hill, the people of Ma- 
chias and other little, wilderness villag-es were fully 
engaged in combat. 

But for the course pursued by these people the 
whole of what constitutes the free and prosperous por- 
tion of Maine, to the eastward of the Penobscot, would 
have been a Provincial Territory of Great Britain. 
Their lives and bravery defended and preserved it. 
They purchased it dearly. It cost tiiem toil, liardship, 
privation and money. Many of them lived to see the 
Independence of the Country established. This was 
their only reward, and no treasure could have been 
more highly prized. The inheritance now belongs to 
their childi^n and childrens' children. They enjoy its 
advantages and priceless blessings-, but do they appre- 
ciate it? 

Josiah Weston, subsequently th-e husband of Han- 
nah, came to Chandler's River sometime about 1772, 
Of Mr, Weston's family we have been able to learn 
but little. He was born at Falmouth, of respectable 
parentage, July 22d, 1750, One of his brothers, Ed- 
mund, was killed by Indians while out in the pasture 
after the cows. Another brother, Joseph, shared a 
^similar fate.— He was out fishing, went ashore to pro- 



52 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

cure wood for a flake to dry fish on, fell into the hands 
of the savages, by whom he was made prisoner, and 
subsequently murdered. Two sisters, Elizabeth and 
Rebecca, came to Chandler's RiA^er with their brother, 
Josiah. Elizabeth married a Mr. Smith of Steuben. 
Her husband died and she married a Mr. Part- 
ridge, of Orland, in Hancock county. - — Some of 
her descendants are wealthy, and all are an industrious 
and highly respectable class of people. We think 
these two sisters were the only family comiections of 
Mr. Weston, who ever came east. A brother practiced 
law in Portland (Falmouth) with eminent success 
When that town was burned in October, 1775, by 
order of the ruthless Mo watt. Commander of the Brit- 
ish fleet, this brother and father's family, in common 
with the people of the town generally, suffered great 
pecuniary loss. By this conflagration Falmouth lost 
414 buildings, and not less than one thousand people 
were "Instantly reduced to a state of unspeakable dis- 
tress." 

This "chastisement" was inflicted because the people 
were patriotic and gave unmistakable signs of joining 
in the Revolution, indications of which had more par- 
ticularly manifested themselves gt Concord, Bunker 
Hill and Machias. — Josiah Weston's father and broth- 
ers were no Tories I They acted for Freedom. They 
sympathised and talked boldly and openly with the 
friends of "Liberty for America I" 

At Chandler's River, Mr. Weston became acquaint- 
ed with the Watts' family. In October, 1774, he mar- 
ried Hannah, second child of Captain Watts. The 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 53 

worth}^ pair went to Machias in a boat, where the 
nuptial ceremonies were performed by the Rev. James 
Lyon. Returning home, tliey commenced the duties 
of house keeping, and lived very happily together. 
Their house stood on the hill, near the shore and near- 
ly in front of Joseph Weston's house, in Jonesboro. It 
was built of logs, but kept in good order, neat and 
comfoi'table. The farm was first settled and always 
occupied by Mr. Weston until his death in 1827. Since 
that time his son has owned and occupied it. 

Mr. Weston was engaged, like most other settlers, in 
farming and lumbering. He was a man of great in- 
dustry, and was enabled thereby to procure a good 
living, as the times afforded. — Subsequently he became 
the father of a large family as we shall elsewhere re- 
cord. 

The Westons, who settled at Hampden, Bangor and 
Orono on the Penobscot and at Augusta on the Ken- 
nebec Avere relatives of Mr. Weston. With the excep- 
tion of himself and two sisters, no other of the family 
or name ever settled to the eastward of the Penobscot. 

Nothing occurred worthy of note in Mr. Weston's 
family till the announcement of the British schooner 
Margaretta coming into Machias. This aroused the 
Avhole population, but none were more active than Mrs. 
Weston and her husband. As this was one of the most 
important events in her life, and one in which, not 
only her descendants, but the whole people are inter- 
ested, we have been particular in giving it as fully 
as possible- 



CHAPTER VI. 

OK a lowry morning, in the month of June, 1775, 
a message to the people of Jonesboro, from their 
neighbors, at Machias, was announced, setting forth 
that a British man-of-war was coming in the next day 
to capture the town. The word passed from mouth 
to mouth and family to family wdth great rapidity. 
But a few hours elapsed ere all knew the situation of 
things at Machias, and but little time was required to 
resolutely comply with the messenger's demand, which 
was, that all the able bodied men should arm them- 
selves with whatever means of defence they had at 
command, and proceed to Machias and aid in defend- 
ing the town. At an early hour in the day, all the 
men in town, then at home, being some twenty in 
number, who felt themselves young and smart enough 
to face the enemy, assembled at Mrs. Weston's house. 
Words of encouragement, and leave were here ex- 
changed between husbands and wives, sons and moth- 
ers, brothers and sisters. It was a solemn event in 
that little wilderness village, for they all anticipated a 
deadly conflict would ensue as soon as they reached 
Machias, and not one could say "I will return." Many 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 55 

a grief was silenced and many a high hope vanished in 
a twinkling. 

Among the men assembled were the husband, father 
and two brothers of Mrs. Weston. Capt, Watts was 
then near seventy years of age, yet the corn-age and 
patriotism of youth moved hun and encouraged others. 
He gave them such advice as his judgment and long 
experience dictated, examined their guns, and bade 
them be of good cheer. 'Our Liberties," said he, "must 
be defended, and you my men must help do it. If 
Machias falls, our settlements all along shore will be at 
the mercies of the King's troops, and we shall be his 
slaves," 

This, however, was no time for talking, as not an 
hour too much time remamed to reach Machias before 
night. There was no road, nor even a sign to follow, 
the whole distance being through an unbroken wilder., 
ness. Captain Watts suggested that those who carried 
axes better spot the trees as they passed along, think- 
ing it would serve as a guide to those passing between 
the towns. 

While the men were waiting at the house, Mrs. 
Weston conversed cheerfully with them ; inquired 
earnestly all about ammunition and means of defense, 
and made herself familiar with what quantity each de- 
pended on and Avhat had been left behind. Though 
her father, owing to his advanced years, was persuaded 
to remain, her husband and brothers were among the 
volunteers. To many women this would have been 
overwhelming, but her firmness and fortitude were 
equal to tlie trial. She manifested no fear and none 



66 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

could have known by her action, but that the men she 
was conversing with were a hunting party instead of a 
party for war. They started. Prayers to high Hea- 
ven, for their preservation, were breatlied silently as 
never before. The sounds of their voices died away 
and the last was looked upon with many a tearful eye 
as he passed from view onward in his wilderness 
journey. 

Unfortunately the names of them all are not now 
known. Such as we have been able to learn are here 
given : Josiah Westcn, Samuel Watts, Judah Chand- 
ler, Thomas Watts and John Drisko, who was captain 
of the company. There were quite a number of others, 
but their names are not now remembered. 

Some of Capt. Watts' grand-children think he was 
one of the company, others think he was not. This 
last seems ybtj probable, as at the time he was very 
near to seventy years of age. 

Immediately after they left Mrs. Weston called 
around on the several families, and gathered all the 
powder, lead, pewter spoons, etc., that could be found. 
Every neighbor felt the importance of the occasion 
and none withheld. Some thirty to forty pounds were 
thus collected and securely packed for ti ansportation 
to Machias. She superintended all with her own 
hands, and placed the pillow case full of ammunition 
in a safe closet near her bedroom, ready for the short- 
est warning. Night came and with it, to her, more 
than usual cause for reflection. Sleep was out of the 
question. We have heard her declare, that that was 
the longest night, though really one of the shortest in 



LIFE OF HAXXAII WESTON 57 

the year, that she ever experienced. And the day- 
light in the morning "came so slow !" "I know they 
will want this powder," she said, "and who will carry 
it?" "No man in town to do it, and the piirty from 
Pleasant River will be likely to pass by above and we 
shall not see them." 

Quite early next morning, however, she heard that 
a man, who was gone from home the day before, had 
returned. The question to her mind was quickly 
solved, for she thought lie could go. She repaired im- 
mediately to his house, but judge her mortification at 
learning that he had just gone off into the woods to 
keep away from the "Britishers." She returned home 
more fully convinced than before that the powder 
ought to go to Machias that day. A short conversa- 
tion ensued between her and Miss Weston, a young 
woman, and sister of Mrs. Weston's husband, when the 
two resolved to carry the powder through to Machias 
themselves. A neighbor on learning their intention 
tried to dissuade them from so perilous attempt. The 
rumor soon spread and in an hour, almost as many 
women and children assembled to see the two unpro- 
tected females start on their uncertain jom-ney, as wit- 
nessed the departure of the men the day previous. 

They attired themselves as best they could, and se- 
lected what they deemed a suitable quantity of bread 
and meat to stand them two days, if their needs should 
require it. It was assigned to Miss Weston to carry 
the provision, and small hatchet, while Mrs. Weston 
carried the ammunition. 

Alone and unprotected they entered on their lonely 



68 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

journey. The distance to Machias, as then traveled 
was some sixteen miles. The route was northwardly 
from the dwelling house, so long occupied by Capt. 
Ephraim Whitney, on Jackson Hill, in Jonesboro, over 
"Machias Hill" to Machias River, near where the town 
of Whitneyville now stands ; thence down the south- 
erly shore to Machias. The marks in the moss and 
leaves, with an occasional "spot" on a tree made by the 
men on the previous day, Avere the only guides to help 
the women along. 

For the first five miles they experienced no difficulty 
except the weariness of carrying so much weight over 
the rugged path they traveled. — Just previous to 
reaching the river they missed their way. In vain, 
they labored to regain it. — Miss Weston, naturally of 
weak con-stitution and unused to hardships of this 
kind, became wearied and shew signs of exhaustion. 
They had wandered, they knew not how far from the 
most direct course, and were completely at loss to 
know which way to go. Very prudently, however, 
Mrs. Weston suggested that they better rest awhile, 
and have something to eat. She felt some alarmed at 
their situation, but did not manifest it in the slightest 
degree to her companion. To give up would in all 
probability prove disastrous, while perseverance might 
crown their efforts with success. 

After resting a suitable time, they felt greatly re- 
freshed, and Mrs. Weston proposed to "Try again, 
which was readily acceded to. Fortunately, in the 
course of an hour, they reached the river. They judg- 
ed the time at two to three o'clock in the afternoon. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 59 

^'Knowing," said Mrs. Weston, "that we were above Ma- 
chias, I decided to follow the current of the river 
downward, hoping to i:each the settlement before dark." 

Their prospects on reaching the river were much 
more encouraging, and their spirits revived in propor- 
tion as their perils seemed to grow less. They knew 
the Indians were in tlie habit of traveling the river, 
and frequenting its banks for game, so they deter- 
mined to keep at proper distance to escape observation. 

They found it very laborious to proceed owing to 
the thick swamps they had to get through, and brooks 
and valleys to cross. Feeling sure that they were on 
the right path they pressed forward with all their en- 
ergy, expecting at each point they gained to look out 
upon the town. Mrs. Weston carried the ammunition 
and provision, thus adding to her own burden and 
lightening her companion's- 

After the lapse of two oi" thiee houi'.s, they gained 
the foot of a high hilL, and not knowing where they 
were, or how far distiint they were from any habita- 
tion, they thiew down their baggage, and seated 
themselves on a fallen tree, to rest. 

It was a lonesome hour ; llmt hom\ they spent in 
contemplation there. The sun was lowering in the 
western horizon, and ah^eady the trees shut out his 
rays. The owl had already filled the (^uiet of the 
wilderness with his slirill, bass note, while not afar off 
the dismal howl of the wolf mingled with the sighings 
of the trees, so peculiar to nightfall. That day, they 
knew not what had been done. They left at Jones- 
boro their home and friends ; at Machiiis they had 



60 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

brothers, and one a husband. Some, or perhaps all of 
the latter, had fallen in battle, or were prisoners in the 
hands of the enemy. These and similar reflections 
weighed heavily upon them. 

As a last effort, Mrs. Weston proposed to ascend 
the hill, hoping from the highest point, that she might 
be enabled to see the houses at Machias. She request- 
ed Rebecca to be of good cheer and remain precisely 
where she was until sne returned. Taking a stick to 
support her as a cane, and one bundle which formed a 
portion of the burden they had borne along, she com- 
menced the toilsome ascent, and was not long in gain- 
ing the summit, whence she saw, to her unbounded 
joy, a house in Machias, not a long distance off. An 
hour longer and night would be upon them. No time 
was to be lost. Leaving a sign on a bush pointing 
in the dkection of the house she espied, Mrs. 
Weston retraced her steps to the spot where her 
companion had lain down and fallen asleep. The 
discovery of the house being communicated, with 
sundry shakes of the shoulders, sufficed to arouse 
the tired girl, and she was immediately on her 
feet. They hurried up the hill, not estimating the 
weight of the anmiunition in pounds or their own 
weariness by their present feelings. — On reaching the 
sign in the bush both saw the house, and both breath- 
ed silent thanks for their deliverance from passing a 
night, sick and alone in the woods. They started di- 
rectly for the house, which they reached in the dusk 
of the evening, and were kindly received by the in. 
mates whose surprise was only equalled in extent by 



LIFE OF HAXNAII WESTON 61 

their own joy and gratification. Rebecca was already 
**beat out" and sick, while Mrs. Weston had exerted 
herself so much during the day that now her strength 
was gone, and she, too, sank beneath the hardship. 
Friends to the unknown women gathered around, 
while one recital of their day's work was enough to 
call forth sympathy and enlist aid to any extent re- 
quired. Neighbors flocked in, each carrying soinething 
to administer to their wants, while an unusual number 
tarried about the house all night. In the moining the 
health of our heroines had much improved. Mrs. 
Weston was able to relate the story of her preceding 
day's adventure, and stood amid an admiring crowd to 
receive the thanks and congratulations of Captain 
O'Brien, Colonel Foster and other noted men of Ma- 
chias, who freely expressed their admiration of her 
bravery and perseverance. 

After resting one day at Machias, they returned to 
Jonesboro by water, in company w^ith their bi'others 
and other friends, who had assisted in the capture of 
the Margaretta. 

For this noble act, Mrs. Weston received only a very 
small compensation. Messrs. Smith and Stillman, trad- 
ers at Machias, presented her and her sister-in-law% 
Rebecca Weston, tAvelve yards of "Camlet," which was 
charged in their account against the Commonwealth, 
and subsequently allowed by tlie latter. It wiis worth 
4s per yard, making an iiggregate of £2 8s. The wo- 
men made it into a dress for eacli, having six yards 
eachj which would be an extremely small pattern 



62 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

now-a-days, though, at that time, considered enough 
in quantity, and in quality vastly superior to the or- 
dinary dresses worn by the middling classes, and equal 
to the best. Half a century afterwards fragments of 
the "Camlet dress" were in existence. Mrs. Weston 
was proud of it, memento as it was, of a worthy and 
patriotic achievement. 

Before reaching the house in Machias, already al- 
luded to, they met a person, who informed them that 
the Margaretta had been captured. — The ammunition 
they brought then, did not contribute to the first naval 
victory, acquired by the Americans over the British, 
in the Revolution, though subsequently, it was used in 
repulsing the latter in their attacks on Machias. 

The house Mrs. Weston first reached, was Captain 
Gideon O'Brien's, and is now standing on the same 
spot. Latterly, it has been better known as the "Old 
Maids' House," on account of the maiden daughters of 
Captain O'Brien, having resided there for many years. 
It is situated on the South side of the river, and on the 
north side of the old county road leading to Jones- 
borough. It must have been one of the first framed 
houses built in Machias, though we believe, the first 
framed house was built by a Mr. Hill, and stood on the 
corner, where the street now is between Mr. Tribou's 
house and Obadiah Hill's, and was taken down some 
thirty odd years ago by the latter gentleman. 

Rebecca, who accompanied, Mrs. Weston, in her 
"powder journey," subsequently married Josiah Libbey, 
a native of Falmouth, who emigrated to Chandler's 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 63 

River at about the same time, the Weston family did. 
She lived and died in Jonesborough. She had nine 
children, four sons and four daughters. One son and 
two daughters are now living at an advanced age, be- 
sides a large number of grand-children residing in va- 
rious sections of the country. She died when some 
past sixty years of age. Her husband lived to attain 
the age of seventy-six. Their graves are on the "Lib- 
bey Farm" in Jonesborough, still occupied and owned 
by the descendants, but there is no grave stone to tell 
the stranger about them, or where they lie. 

Rebecca and Josiah's children were Reuben, Josiah, 
Joseph, Nathan, Mary, Hannah, Eunice, Rebecca. Mary 
married Joseph Whitney, Rebecca became J. W.'s 2d 
wife. Eunice married William Kilton ; Hannah mar- 
ried Samuel Maddocks. Josiah married Jane Libbey 
of Harrington. Reuben married . 

Except Rebecca all reared large families and their 
descendants became numerous. 

W^illiamson, in his history of Maine, writes "Mar- 
granetto," as the name of the vessel captured by the 
people of Machias, in 1775. We think this a mistake. 
The name was "Margaritta," or as now spoken and 
written, Margaretta. 

We are not aware how many of the citizens of 
Jonesboro subsequently received a pension from their 
government on account of services rendered at Ma- 
chias in 1775 and '77. Besides assisting in the cap- 
ture of the Margaretta, several of them were stationed 
at the garrison in Machias, in service of the Massa- 



64 LIFE OP HANNAH WESTON 

chusetts province, some three months in the fall of 
'76. In August of that year^ by act of Congress, the 
troops were organized into a Continental army and 
received into the pay of the whole United Colonies. 
Thence they were styled "Continentalers." Samuel 
Watts and Josiah Weston were of the number — tlie 
former received a pension. 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE house Mr. Weston first built was destroyed by 
fire in December, 1778. No person was in the 
house, except Hannah, the second child, then about 
ten months old, who perished in the flames. Mr. 
Weston had been to the meadow after a load of hay 
with his team, and Mrs. Weston, who had just fin- 
ished milking the cows, when he returned, went to the 
barn, taking the eldest child with her, to aid her hus- 
band in unloading the hay. The fire broke out in the 
upper part of the house, but was not discovered by the 
unfortunate people until it completely enveloped their 
humble abode, and defied all attempts to save or ex- 
tinguish. — The father rushed to the door, hoping to be 
able to eft'ect an entrance, and remove his child from 
the danger. But he had not been into the house since 
his return from the meadow, and he did not know 
where the cradle was, in which the infant lay. The 
heat was so excessive he dare not go in, though amid 
the roar of the fire and the crackling timbers, a few 
cries of the little sutlerer were somewhat indistinctly 
heard, yet it was beyond human power to save. Be- 
sides the loss of their child and house, not an article 



66 LIFE OF HAKNAtt WESTOK 

of furniture^ or a scrap of provision of any kind, was 
saved. — They had, indeed, their health, the eldest 
child, the clothes they had on : but without a house^ 
without provisions, without neighbors able to afford 
the required assistance, and in the cold month of De- 
cember, the beginning of a dreary winter, destitute in 
the extreme. Mr. Samuel Drisko, a neighbor, who 
lived on the hill to the westward of Captain Whit* 
ney's, kindly took them in. The neighbors afforded 
every assistance possible. — Some gave articles of 
clothing, some small quantities of provisions and veg- 
etables, but in the scarcity of the times^ and with all 
the generosity exercised so proverbial among the peo- 
ple then, the comforts they were wont to enjoy under 
their own roof were far from being attained. Mrs. 
Weston often declared, that her suffering, that winter 
and the following season, until the farm produce af- 
forded them relief, equalled all the rest of her life. 

In the spring of 1780 Mr. Weston built another 
house on the same spot where the first was burned. 

This was built of logs, like the other, and made com- 
fortablcv They collected what furniture they could 
and moved in, as it were, commencing new again* 
The loss of their child bore heavily upon them, as did 
the privations and hardships incident to their recent 
calamity. They viewed it a "chastisement of Divine 
Providence" and yielded in a spirit of obedience^ 
rather than a spirit of fault-finding and discontent. 
Persevering in patient toil and industry, in a few 
years, they regained their property and enjoyed their 
substance, attained in accordance with the divine in- 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 67 

junction^ "By the sweat of thy brow shalt thou earn 
thy bread." 

They lived in this house till the autumn of 1787 
when they moved into a new house, built on the 
northern side of the County road, and but a few feet 
from the front of the house now occupied by Joseph 
Weston. This was quite a large, framed house, hav- 
ing several rooms and generally in the style of houses 
built in those days. It was torn down in 1838 after 
having stood for more than half a century. 

It was while residing in the log house, that Mrs. 
Weston, one evening, in the absence of her husband, 
took an infant child, we don't know which one, and 
went in search of the cows. The cattle usually ran at 
large, "down river," or in the vicinity of the Moun- 
tains, as the hills are termed, some hundreds of rods 
distant, in an easterly direction, from Mr. Ichabod 
Farns worth's house. Not finding the cows so soon as 
«he anticipated, and not thinking of the approaching 
night, she was overtaken by the darkness and compell- 
ed to stay in the woods ! Becoming fatigued and be- 
wildered, she gave up trying to find her way back, 
took the shawl or blanket from her shoulders, wrapped 
it closely around her child, broke some boughs, which 
were duly arranged for a bed and lay down, "not to 
sleep but to rest." About midnight th€ monotony of 
the wilderness was broken by peal« of thunder, pre- 
ceded by — 

"The vivid lightning's flash," 

the effect of which, can be better imagined than de- 
scribed ! In addition to the mighty noise of tlie ele- 



68 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

ments, it rained in torrents, for the space of an hour 
or more. The mother shielded the child all she could, 
without thought for herself, though said she "I 
thought it would drown in my arms." Next morning, 
she found her way back, as soon as it was light enough 
to see, no one knowing, until she told it, of her night's 
vicissitude in the wilderness. 

After the Revolution, the condition of the people 
began to improve for the better very fast. — During 
the seven years' struggle, when so much uncertainty 
existed in the public mind, as to the final termination, 
the citizens of Jonesboro, in common with their neigh- 
bors thoroughout the Province of Maine, were not 
over-zealous in developing the resources at their com- 
mand, or in acquiring property, or in reality of doing 
more than just enough to meet their existing demands 
and needs. They were, indeed, patriotic, they loved 
their country, they hoped to gain their National Inde- 
pendence,but the odds were greatly against them. Their 
cause was just. They prayed the Supreme Ruler of 
the Universe to protect their beloved Washington and 
crown his efforts, in behalf of human rights, with suc- 
cess. — The Colonies were feeble and the Mother country 
strong. The contest involved the interests of the 
civilized world. Its end, whichsoever way it should 
terminate, would effect the principles of Constitutional 
government for ages to come. — Providence, however, 
prospered the American cause. The British tyrant's 
will was defeated, and the Independence of the Col- 
onies fully recognized and established. The fear of 
subjugation was removed from the minds of the peo- 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 69 

pie, and they turned their attention to the improve- 
ment of their houses and lands, building mills and 
vessels, opening roads and devising means of com- 
munication and transportation, things that were neg- 
lected during the war, for the reason that they did 
not know whether they were laboring to promote their 
own welfare, or to increase the wealth of a foreign 
King, whose very name they hated. 

After their participation in the affair in repulsing 
the British from Machias, in the summer of 1777, Mr 
Weston and his neighbors in Jonesboro, took no active 
part in any of the engagements of the Revolution., 
Situated a long distance from the seat of the Colonial 
Government, being but few in luimbers, and compara- 
tively poor in purse ; taxed withal to the utmost of 
their endurance to procure an actual subsistance for 
their families, they were not called into active service, 
nor, after the attack on Machias, above mentioned, 
did the enemy appear in their teri-itory to give them 
opportunity to test their courage and love of freedom 
in defense of their own homes. 

From time to time, the news of the victories and 
defeats of their brethren in arms, from the South, 
would give rise to exultation or fearful anxiety and 
distress. Nothing encouraging or promising reached 
the Eastern settlers till the surrender of Burgoyne, 
which, though, occurring on the 17th of October, 1777, 
did not reach Jonesboro till the first of December fol- 
lowing. The people were overjoyed at this "grateful 
intelligence." It formed the principal topic of conver- 
sation, some deeming it an event likely to bring hos- 



70 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

tilities to a close. A short time afterwards it was an- 
nounced that France had acknowledged the Independ- 
ence of America, which greatly increased the probabil- 
ity that the American arms would triumph. Not- 
withstanding, the misfortunes of the British, they de- 
cided to prosecute the war with renewed vigor. Noth- 
ing of a serious nature occurred to the Eastern people, 
till 1779, when the great depreciation in the value of 
paper money, took place. This money was in bills is- 
sued by Congress, the first in 1775, amounting to two 
millions, which increased till in 1779 it reached the 
enormous sum of two hundred millions of dollars [ 
And so depreciated that one dollar in gold would buy 
fifty or sixty dollars in bills. It is known now, as 
"Old Continental money," and some families have bills 
to large amounts which have been preserved. Several 
causes combined to sink this paper currency ; but the 
principal reasons were the extensive counterfeit of it 
by the enemy, and the general want of confidence that 
it would ever be redeemed. — A good deal of this mon- 
ey, in fact it constituted the circulating currency in 
the Province of Maine, had found its way to the east- 
ward, in payment for furs, lumber and fish, and its de« 
preciation at this time was a severe loss to the people. 
The embargo, laid on by the enemy, prevented inter- 
course between the towns, and the terrible drought, 
which lasted through May and June of this year in- 
creased the "dearth of provisions and general distress." 
Fortunately, after this period, by a wise decision of 
Congress, no place to the Eastward of Penobscot River 
was called upon for taxes or contributions, during the 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 71 

continuance of the war. Provisions were sent to the 
eastern towns at the public charge. The people of 
Machias were among those who received aid, and from 
them Mr. Weston and his neighbors obtained limited 
supplies. 

In some towns, in the Province of Maine, in the 
summer of 1779 "corn sold for 185 a bushel ; molasses 
for $16 a gallon ; and one man was so wicked as to ask 
$75 for a bushel of wheat meal, and another, in Au- 
gust, the same summer, paid $19 for a pound of tea ! 
This was in paper money, and such was its value at 
this time. 

Nothing of importance occurred after this period of 
unusual distress, until the "Dark Day" which was May 
19th, 1780. It was so dark in Jonesboro, that lighted 
candles were used at noon in the houses. The dark- 
ness of the night was equally extreme and fearful. 
Timid people were greatly frightened, believing it a 
precursor to some great national calamity. The next 
day, nothing unusual was noticed in the atmosphere, 
and subsequently it was ascertained that the darkness 
prevailed through New England and a few miles out 
to sea. The conjecture since has been, that it occurred 
from the smoke of extensive tires in the woods, in 
Maine and New Hampshire, a peculiar state of the at- 
mosphere. 

The news of the surrender of Cornwallis, reached 
Jonesboro, a little more than a month after he capitu- 
lated. The treachery of Arnold had formed an ample 
theme for discussion among the neighbors, but the 
fearful apprehensions which it liacl induced, were now 



72 LIFE OF HAXNAH WESTON 

all forgotten. The tidings of the glorious victory of 
Washington over Cornwallis came from Machias one 
afternoon and especial pains were taken to let "all the 
people in the place know it." Early in the evening 
nearly all of the men and a greater part of the women 
and larger children had collected at Captain Watts' 
house. They had no powder to spare to fire a gun, 
they had no provision wherewith to spread a large 
table for company, but they had patriotic hearts and 
they could talk, they could exult in cheers and hur- 
rahs, and thank God with sincere and grateful spirits, 
for they believed that their hour of deliverance from 
the British yoke had now come. 

Said Capt. Watts — "The British rule is over in 
America — this victory of Washington's is our coun- 
try's redeeming triumph : the back bone of the British 
Lion is broken, and the haughty King is henceforth 
disgraced in the eyes of the world." The joy of these 
people could not be exceeded, at this victory of Amer- 
ican arms, as in their judgment, it substantially closed 
the war, and subsequent events shew, that they were 
not wTong. This meeting of the people at Capt. 
Watts' took place the latter part of November, or first 
of December. The suiTender of Cornwallis was on 
the 18th of October, preceding. It will be recollected, 
that Capt. Watts was an old soldier, and it seemed 
appropriate on this occasion for the neighbors to gath- 
er around him. Mr. Weston, Samuel Watts, Jr., and 
some of his brothers, who had recently been released 
from the garrison at Machias, were present and re- 
joiced with the rejoicing. "There were no tories in 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 73 

Jonesboro" — there niiglit have been tiinifl ones, but all 
were united and strong now. 

After the surrender of CornwalUs the people did not 
attach much consequence to the war. .Savannah and 
Charleston were the most important posts held by the 
British, and it was evident that the British rule in the 
United Colonies was waning fast. 

Mr. Weston subsequently became a milbowner and 
did considerable lumbering at Chandler's River. He 
was a very active, industrious man. In hunting ex- 
cursions after moose and deer he generally excelled, as 
his bodily strength enabled him to endure great fatigue. 
One time, during the deep snows of a winter, in com- 
pany with some of his neighl »ors, he followed the trail 
of a moose an unusually long distance, and finally suc- 
ceeded in capturing him on a very high bill to the 
North West and near the liead of Chandler's River. 
The day was extremely cold, and as bad luck would 
have it, Mr. Weston lost his mittens near where the 
moose was slain. People now-a-days know this hill 
as "Mitten Mountain" the incident having given it its 
name. It is located in the town of Centreville, and is 
the highest land in all that region. 

In Religious faith Mr. Weston was Baptist, having 
united himself with the church in Columbia, as early 
as 1807. He was baptized at Epping. From that time 
afterwards he continued a member of the Society in 
good standing. His daughter Susan joined the same 
church and at the same time. For quite a number of 
years he was the only person at Chandler's River, who 
made a public profession of religion. 



74 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

Mr. Weston died in August, 1827, being a little 
more than seventy-one years of age. His grave is on 
the farm he occupied in Jonesboro. — Since his death, 
his youngest child and only son, has owned the home- 
stead. 

For convenience we give the following record of 
Captain Samuel Watts' family : 



S<imuel Watts married Elsie Bean — I'heir children : 

Samuel, born February, 1756 ; Died March, 1849. 
Hannah, " November, 1758 ; Died December, 1855. 

Date of death unknown 



Died in 1852. 
Died in 1838. 
Date of death unknown 



Samuel Watts^ 2nd^ tnarried Polly Noi/es — Their 
ekild/reu : 

Lucy, Betsey, David, Sabrina, Samuel. 
•David, Josiah, Stephen, Delia. 

David marned, Abigail Noyes^ Feb. IJ^ 1796. — Their 
children : 

Samuel, Ruth, Mary, Thomas. 

Jofleph, Abagail, Joan. 



David, 


(( 


1761 


Betsey, 


41 


1764 


Kl0ie» 


4( 


1767 


Abigail, 


(,1 


1780 


Bally, 


U 


1788 


Thomas, 


ii. 


1786 



•DrewBed when «€V«u |«»i« old. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 75 

Betsey married Lem Bowker^ Oct. ^-5, 1789 — Their 
children : 

Watts, Levi, Hannah, Deborah, Mary. 

Lydia, Betsey. Sally, Frederic. 

JElsie married Ralph Haycock — Their children : 
^Clark, Mary, Warren, 

Hannah, Jones, Samuel. 

Abagail fnarried David Merritt — Their children. : 
Parker, Stillman, Rebecca, Weston, Wetlierbee. 
Dustan, Hannah, Lydia, Pliebe. 

Thomas married Siisau JVot/es — Their children : 
Sarah, Eunice Thomas 

Mrs. Haycock lived in Calais. Mr. Bowker, at Ma- 
chias. The rest of the family lived most of the time 
at Jonesboro. Their children and grandchildren are 
scattered throughout the American Union, numbering 
in all several hundreds. To record their names, date 
of births, marriages, etc., would make of itself a 
volume. 

Mrs. Weston's children married as follows : — 

Eliza married Benjamin Uornian^ iVby. 9th^ 1793. 
Married by Bev. Mr. Lyon., at Machias — Their children: 
Mary, Israel, Hannah, Colon, Lydia. 

Josiah, Nathaniel, Loraine, Betsey. 

Hannah, Mrs. Weston's second child, died aged ten 
months. The third child was named Hannah. 



*Died in infancy. 



76 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

Hannah married Moses Plimwier — Their children : 

Barnabas, Abagail, Robert, Mary, 

Josiah, Aphia, Ebeii. 

Susan married Nathan Hanscom — Their children : 
Ruth, Phebe, Nathan, Josiah, Samuel, Hannah, 

Betsey married Asa Warnsu^orth — Their childroi : 
Sybil, Stephen, Nathaniel, Joseph, 

Keziah, Peter, Harriet, George, 

Sophia, Priscilla, Caroline. 

iLlsie ynarried John Schoppe — Their children : 
Phebe, Frances, Hannah, George, 

Antonio, William, Eliza. 

Aphia married Jlilliam Schoppe. 

They had one child, Francis, he died April, 1841. 

Sophia married Amasa Farnstoorth— Their cJuldren: 
Hilliard, Leonard, Eri, *^Phebe, Albert, 

Leoniece, Charles, Warren, ^Amelia. 

Fra/nces married Francis Schoppe. 
They had no children. 
Phebe died when young, 

Sally married Richard E. Gilnian — Their children: 
Joseph, Harrison, *Levi, Sophia, Levi, 

♦Twins. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 77 

Amelia married Daniel Coi^u — Their children : 
*Eri Sophronia, Francis, Savilla, Hilliard 
*Lydia, *Horace, Augustus, Lucius, 

Joseph married Sophia Jones — 77ieir children : 
*Jones, ^Francis, Harriet, ^Joseph, Joseph 
Horace, *Hannah, *Jones, Eliza. 

Mrs. Dorman, after she married, lived in Harring- 
ton ; Mrs. Pkunmer in Addison ; 3Irs. Hansconi in 
Crawford ; Mrs. Betsey Farnsworth in Jonesboro ; 
Mrs. Elsie Schoppe in Beddington ; Mrs. Aphia and 
Frances in Jonesboro; Mrs. Sophia Farnsworth in 
Beddington; Mrs. Oilman in Jonesboro; Mrs. Coffin 
in Addison, Centreville and Beddington, and Joseph, 
the youngest child and only son, in Jonesboro. Bet- 
sey and Sophia married brothers, as did Elsie, Frances 
and Aphia. What is quite remarkable in so large a 
family, we believe none of them ever married the 
second time. Susan is about seventy-four years old 
and is the eldest child now living. Eight of the 
daughters are yet living, and seven with their hrst 
husbands, the youngest being about fifty-five years 
old! Nine of Mrs. Weston's children were liviiig 
when she died ; sixty-eight grandchildren : one hun- 
dred and fifty-three great-grandchildren, and t^^ enty- 
five great-great-grandchildren: making the whole 
number of her descendants, then living, over two hun- 



*Died in infaucy. 



78 LIFE OF HA^JTAW WESTOX 

dred and fifty. At present, August, 1857, her de- 
scendants living, number two hundred and sixety-four. 

One thing will be noticed. A large number of 
grandchildren were named Josiah and Hannah. — This 
of itself shows the respect which the children enter- 
tained for their parents, and speaks well for their 
parental attachment. When Mr. Weston died his 
youngest child was about twenty-one years old. Mrs. 
Weston lived twenty-eight years after her husliand's 
death. Naturally the children loved their niotlier, 
and spared as she was, monument of maternal care 
and training in their early life, the remembrances of 
which were often revived by their own troubles and 
trials^ they watched over her declining years with 
tender solicitude. 

Mrs. Weston was of medium height, slender form, 
yet possessed of great physical energy. Up to within 
a few years of her death her health was remarkably 
good. After she had lived four score years she at- 
tracted much attention ; many strangers, who desired 
the recital of events which transpired in the Revolu- 
tion, visited her, and always found her communicative 
and a source of much interest, not only as a relic of 
the past, but for the exactness of her memory, and the 
very clear accounts she loved to give of early occur- 
ences within her own observation. Her maxims of 
economy, prudence and propi'iety deduced from her 
long observation, had weight and influence with her 
neighbors. As she lived with mental powers not per- 
ceptibly dimmed by years of service, so she continued 
to hold the respect of her acquaintances, and the 



LIFE OF HANXAII WESTON 79 

memoij^ of her virtues and of her wisdom, will, for a 
long time, exert useful influence in the circle where 
she was so well known. 

Her father was a young man when Was^hington 
was born. Her life and his daughter's emhracing a 
period of one hundred and forty years, included the 
most impoi'tant part of American history, after the 
first discoveries, by Columbus and Hudson. Capt. 
Watts was a soldier and an officer in the army where 
Washington ^vas the leading spirit. The illustrious 
events of that gi'eat man's life, were to him, as the re- 
cital of the occurrences in our school boy days. His 
familiarity Avith the distressful scenes of the old 
French and Indian war, of the trials of the American 
officers and soldiers in the Revolution, were communi- 
cated to his children, and became deeply impressed in 
their minds. Mrs. Weston's excellent memory en- 
abled her to retain much of the history of men and 
things, obtained from her father, down to the latest 
period of life. Strangers had strong inducements 
then, to avail themselves of the privilege of hearing 
her repeat those stories of the times in which their 
ancestors were more or less active, and which all lov- 
ers of their country desire to cherish in remcmbiance. 

"The young may die and the old nuist die." — We 
have written of Mrs. Weston's life, it comes next to 
record her death. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

AFTER the death of her husband, Mrs. Weston, 
lived with her son and daughters in Jonesboro, 
mostly with the former. She enjoyed a good degree 
of health, was able to do the ordinary household labor 
for many years, and visited her relatives and acquaint- 
ances, among whom she was ever welcome. At the 
bedside of the sick, her words of cheer and efforts to 
alleviate the pains of disease are among acts more 
deeply impressed in the minds of many than anything 
else. Her cheerfulness had propped the invalid in his 
weary hours ; her tender ministrations renovated his 
overtasked powers ; her counsels and her love had in- 
duced the erring to return, and saved the tempted in 
the trying hour. 

Her mental powers were wonderfully preserved. 
Her judgment at ninety-five seemed unshaken, while 
without the use of glasses she could see to do any 
work desirable. Her hearing became impaired during 
the last two or three years of her life, though most of 
the time one could make himself intelligible in the or- 
dinary tone of conversation. She could converse 
readily up to within a short time of her death. 



LIPK OF HANNAH WESTON 81 

It may not be amiss here to state, that during the 
summer of the World's Fair, or Crystal Palace Exhi- 
bition, at New York, she carded the wool, spun the 
yarn, and knit it into a pair of stockings, with the in- 
tention of sending them thither for Exhibition. They 
were pronounced a superior article by good judges, and 
truly so, when considered that they were manufactur- 
ed by a woman ninety-five years old, and without the 
aid of glasses. 

In religious views Mrs. Weston was no bigot. Her 
faith was of a liberal order. We are not aware that 
she ever made a public profession of religion, or united 
herself with any society, but at one time in the later 
part of her life, she intimated some desire to become a 
member of the Congregationalist Church in Jones- 
boro. We know of no reason why she did not, except 
the very advanced period in her life, when the step 
suggested itself to her mind. 

On the 12th of December, 1855, when she had ad- 
vanced twenty days beyond her ninety-seventh year, 
the angel of death came quietly, and bore her spirit 
from earth to the heavenly world. No regrets at part- 
ing with her children, or the world in which she had 
lived so long, no murmuring, no fear of death, no hope, 
save that of Heaven did she utter. None who lived at 
her birth could witness her death, She had outlived 
them all. Generations had been ushered into being, 
acted their part, and with few exceptions gone. Those 
who stood by her performing the last duties, were as 
the children of her old age. They looked on the life 
•of a century mark fading away in the hand of death. 



S2 LIFE OF HAJfNAH WESTON 

But few of her children saw their iiiotlier die. But 
few of her descendants, comparatively, could be gath- 
ered, to follow the remains of a venerable parent to 
the grave. They were scattered in different parts of 
the United States, many of whom had never seen her 
while living, and knew nothing of her death. This is 
not strange, when we reflect that quite a number of 
the fifth generation, were already active on the stage 
of being. 

What a change in the affairs of the American conti- 
nent she lived to witness. What a history is includ- 
ed in her time ! And how trivial must have appeared 
to her the changes, the revolutions, the strifes which 
her country went through with.— -Born when these 
powerful states were feeble Colonies, and when the 
rival nations of the Old World were fiercely engaged 
in determining the relative power, and ownership of 
their discoveries and possessions on the western con- 
tinent, and when no state or colony, or city dared lay 
claim to independence, and when the strongest was 
too weak to cherish such a sentiment ; when to sus- 
tain life, and not its liberty, taxed the mental and in- 
dustrial capacities of the people to the utmost ; when 
the pride of America had not yet awakened but slum- 
bered ; when the forest covered the soil in all its prim- 
itive beauty, and the red man was monarch of much 
the largest proportion of the vast breadths of terri- 
tory ; when the houses were roughly built and people 
lived plain, and living through an unrivalled prosper- 
ity among the states and in the nation, what a history 
had she witnessed and what a succession of triumphs 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 88 

in the revelation of human liberty, art and science. — 
Ages may succeed ages and the world will not permit 
human eyes to see so much again. Old age may be 
attained, but the sphere may never come to man, 
where, in a time so short, such a wonderful work will 
be accomplished. 

On the day of her birth the population of all the 
American Colonies was about one million, five hundred 
thousand, or but little more than the present popula- 
tion of Indiana, which then did not contain a white in- 
habitant I The population of the Province of Maine, 
was 18,000, or about the same as the city of Bangor 
now. She lived to see it number 600,000. Bangor 
however, was a wilderness until Mrs. Weston was 
eleven years old. Stephen Russell was the first white 
settler, whose residence commenced in the fall of 1769. 
New York city was, at her birth, about the size of 
Bath. She lived until it became a city of the first 
magnitude, containing 700,000 people and a wealth as- 
sessed in hundreds of millions. In 1826, the Island of 
Monhattan, estimated to contain 24,000 acres, being 
the land on which the great Metropolis now stands 
was bought of the Indians for $24,00 ! Figures can 
hardly tell Avhat the Island is worth now. The first 
census of New York was taken in 1656, when it con- 
tained 1000 inhabitants. 

In 1758, the Province of Maine contained thirteen 
incorporated towns, all being within the limits of the 
present counties of York and Cumberland. In the 
whole Province of Missachu setts the number of in- 
habitants did not exceed 17,000. When Mrs. Weston 



84 LIFE OP HAXXAH "VTESTOJ?^ 

died the same territory numbered 1,800,000. On its 
soil are large towns and cities, whose commencement 
did not date back half her life. Her native town, 
Haverhill, was, one of the earliest settled in New Eng- 
land. It did not increase so fast in population and 
wealth as many of its neighbors. During the Indian 
wars from 1675 to 1763, a period of nearly a century, 
it suffered a great deal. In 1697 the inhabitants near- 
ly abandoned the place through fear of the savages. 
In 1758 the inhabitants by estimate numbered 700. 
In 1800, about 3000. In 1856, near 9000. 

She lived to see her country increase from a few 
feeble Colonies, dependent on a foreign power, to 
Thirteen Republics, each organized under a Constitu- 
tion guarding its own internal and individual rights ; 
and the whole, under a Constitution, Free and Inde- 
pendent, and strong in their Union, their whole ma- 
chinery of government simple, yet wise, original yet 
popular and practicable, and such as the world had 
never before seen. — She lived when Washington, after 
he had fulfilled the great duty assigned him, resigned 
his place as the head of the American army, and when 
after a few years retirement, at Mt. Yernon, he was 
called to be the head and Chief Ruler of the newborn 
Republic. She was yet young, when the mournful 
news went over the land, that Washington was dead. 
She remembered the grief of the people, and how the 
nation mourned the death of that good man. 

She remembered the accession of Adams, the senior, 
Jefferson, Madison and Munroe to the Presidency, as 
well as people do now-a-days, that of Jackson and 



LIFE OP HANNAH WESTON 



85 



Taylor. She witnessed the acquisition of Territory 
from the purchase of Lousiana, by Jefferson, down to 
the annexation of Texas, and purchase of California, 
and the increase of Territory originally confined to the 
Atlantic, but before her death bounded by the Paciii(- 
and Gulf of Mexico, and constituting thirty-one states, 
many of them larger than some of the nations of Eu- 
rope. 

She lived before steamboats and raiboads had scarce- 
ly been thought of, and wlien years were required to 
get a message around the world ; and she lived, too, 
when words and messages, through the agency of tht; 
Magnetic Telegraph, could run the ch'cuit of the globe, 
as speedily as a mile, and quick as the lightning's 
flash. The genius and industry of man, contributed 
to annihilate space, break over the barriers of barbar- 
ism, and let in the glowing light of civilization, bind- 
ing the nations of the earth together with cords of 
love and good w411, while she was yet active on the 
stage of being. 

At last, she yielded her life to the unweary hand of 
death. Her long day of existence became darkened. 
All she had witnessed, all she had experienced, all she 
had done would rest on earth bequeathed to new gen- 
erations. Her long life had been well spent; her 
morning, noon and evening down to the night. The 
morning was her industry, the noon her practical use- 
fulness, and the evening her counsel. Of them all, 
she might well feel proud and her descendants for her 

She died easy. Like the falling leaf, quietly the 
spirit stepped out of the earthly tenement, to enter 



86 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

upon tlie way of the eternal world ; the body left, a 
representative of the trials and changes of a hundred 
years on earth, the soul, beginning where neither cen- 
turies nor time itself have any reckoning. 

Her remains slumber beside the dust of him, who 
was the companion and solace of her youth. Not a 
mark identifies her grave, beyond that of a common 
resting place. Will it thus be left ? Will the grave of 
one of the earliest daughters of American Freedom re- 
main neglected and unmarked till obliterated? She 
performed her part. If small, it was only because it 
was not larger, that she did not do more. However 
large the task, or whatever the consequences, if duty 
led the way, she would have followed. If the nation 
and state fail to erect a suitable monument, bearing a 
faithful inscription, let her friends form an association, 
subscribe the necessary fund, cause it to be made and 
elected over her grave. No patriotic citizen of Wash- 
ington County, would withhold his contribution. We 
have but few battle-fields to plant memorials on : we 
have but few graves, that we feel ourselves called on 
to give a national mark, but this is one ! The com- 
mencement of the work would insure its completion, 
and its completion would remind the visitor of a 
worthy Woman, whose dust it memorialized, and of a 
patriotic public whose generosity it would represent. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WKSITJN 87 

The t'ollowing verses wei^ written, about foiii' years 
since, by the venerable Williani Freeman, Esq., of 
Cherrytield. They were published at the time in sev- 
eral newspapers, but deeming them worthy of pi^ser- 
vation, with his consent, we insert them here : 

We love the woman who has strength of will 
The high resolves of duty to fulfill ; 
Who takes an interest in the public weal ; 
And for that good will act as well as feel ; 
Who makes it both her pleasure and her pride-, 
To do, what patriotic virtue should decide, 
Such noble women, we rejoice to own, 
Were in our country's revolution known, 
And in its annals they should be enrolled, 
And prized more highly than the wealth of gold. 
Within a neighboring town there lived, or late 
Lived one. whose patriotic worth we should narrate: 
If dead no just memorial has been given 
To mark the time, she went from earth to Heaven. 
Or to recount the story of a deed, 
By which she helped her country in its need. 
Perhaps she lived, 'till age had lost the praise 
That shed its luster on her youthful days, 
And then a faith which oft befalls the old. 
Her virtues and her death were left untold 

It is the purpose of our humble verse 
This long neglected story to rehearse. 
And thus, however poor may be the lay, 
A grateful portion of its debt to pay. 
When Freedom's struggle first awoke alarm, 
And ere its friends could all find time to arm. 
In the Machias waters there appeared 
A hostile sail, whose threat 'ning force was feared ; 
The people unprepared to meet the foe, 
Sought to employ some one for help to go : 



S8 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

A messenger, in whom they might confide, 

The means for their protection to provide, 

While me?i refused or lingered in their zeal, 

She heard, and promptly answered the appeal, 

And with a spirit true as well as brave, 

She undertook the task, required to save, 

From home and ease o'er wilds and distance far — 

To hear their wants, and spread the news of war ; 

The tidings told and all these wants supplied, 

Back to her anxious friends again she hied ; 

Through thirty miles of forest she conveyed 

Supplies of ammunition to their aid ; 

No guide but spotted trees to lead her feet, 

Or voice but that of the bird or beast to greet, 

The dark and dreary way along she trod. 

And bore, with eager haste, the heavy load. 

By which they were enabled to employ 

The arms that might be needed to destroy. 

Regardless both of labor and of toil. 

Her purpose was to guard her native soil. 

The deed was noble and the end was gained, 

The town was thus defended and maintained ; 

A feat of female courage, which but few. 

Except of Roman nerve would dare to do ; 

For which, if proper efforts had been made, 

A pension, just due, might have been paid. 

For less deserts the public wealth has flowed. 

And honors high and rich have been bestowed. 

If but the shadoio of a service done. 

Affords the proof by which these grants are won, 

A true exploit, achieved by woman's hand, 

Some small reward of merit should command. 

Perhaps this woman may have lived obscure. 

And died, if she is dead, unmourn'd and poor ; 

When for her country she performed a deed 

That should have saved her from neglect and need ; 

If not too late, let justice now be done, 



LIFE UF HAXiSAU V»ESTUN H^ 

And seme return for this neglect atone ; 

The stone, at least, with grateful words should rise, 

To tell, that "here a female patriot lies, 

Who lov'd her native land — not only so. 

She helped to vanish and expel its foe ;" 

And if her head now rest beneath the sod. 

And she can gain no bounty, but from God. 

Why should not they who live to bear her name. 

Receive, as others do, her well earn'd claim ? 

Let those, whose hearts by noble deeds are warm'd, 

And kno/c the gaiiant service she perform d 

Present the proof, and urge the righteous plea. 

And trust the grateful judgment of the Free.. 

In this behalf who would not raise a voice, 

And, if it should prevail would not rejoice? 

If any such, he has no soul to prize 

The worth which in heroic virtue lies ; 

And in the joys, it labored to achieve. 

Deserves no portion, and should none receive. 

If still among the living she beholds 

The glory which her country now unfolds, 

And in whose trials endur'd her part. 

And for its triumph gave her hand and heart, 

This tardy act of justice will illume 

The shades, which may be gath'ring o'er her tomb ; 

And, like the sun, in its declining rays. 

Her last, the few, may be her brightest dajs. 



More than forty-live years have passed since the 
first edition of " Life op IIaxxah Westoj^ " was 
published. 

For twenty years the edition has been out of print. 
Hence a demand arose for a second edition, and the 
following prepared by the same author as the first, is 
respectfully submitted and dedicated to the memory 
of the Heroine and her descendants. 

In collecting and arranging the following genealogy, 
undoubtedly some errors have occurred. "J'he Uisk of 
colketiiig the numerous families has been slow and 
laborious. If any are omitted it is because they could 
not be reached or made no reply to letters. The 
author thanks those who so cheerfully and ably ren- 
dered help. 

Machias, Jcmuar//, J 90S. 



XN 1859, two years after Life of Hanxaii Westox 
-L was published her descendants erected over her 
grave a headstone bearing the following inscription : 

In Memoi-y of 
HANNAH WATTS, 

wife of 

Jomah Weston 

Born at Hcwe^'hiU, Mass., 

Nov. 22, 1758, 

Died. Dec. 12, 1855; 

She will long live in the memory of 
her Posterity. 

She was a icoman of great courage 
and bravery. She manifested it du- 
ring the Battle at Machias, June 
12th, 1775, hy carrying ammunition 
through the wilderness to aid the citi- 
zens in defense of the town. 



THE Monument erected over the Hannali Weston 
Grave at Jonesboro, was mainly paid for by con- 
tributions of descendants. 

The Town of Machias in Annual meeting Marcli 
1902, unanimously voted twenty-five dollars in aid of 
the work. The following are, so far as I know, names 
of contributing descendants. 

Mr. and Mrs. W. Longfellow, Marinette. Wis. ; Mrs-. 
Oeorge B, Lawton and .son, Somerville, Mass. ; W. A. 
Coffin, JSouth Beddington ; Horace R. Weston, Winter 
Harbor ; Robert E. Burnett, Boston ; Mrs, Clara Farus^ 
worth and Herbert Farnsworth, Genoa. Ill; Miss 
Fanny Farnsworth, Red AVing, Minn.; Mrs. Hattic 
Bridgham, Mrs. Ruth ]k)wker, Mr. T, R. Weston of 
Seattle, Mrs, W. P. 81iaw, Roger Shaw, Miss Farns- 
worth, Rev, Mr. Farnsworth, Beddington ; Mrs. P. S, 
Campbell, Three Lakes, W^is. ; Mrs, Mary V. Coffin, 
White Rock, Me. ; Mr. W, H. Bowker and sons. Brook- 
line, Mass, ; George E. Farnsworth, Caribou; Arthur 
Bridgham, Mrs. Raymond C. Drisko, Alfred, Me.; Anuu 
A. Chandler, Leoniece Whittemore, Mrs, Charlotte 
Holmes, Josiah W, Watts, Geo. W. H. Watts, Sarah 
W^atts Stearne, Daniel J, Watts, Mrs. Hannah Watts 
Tupper, Morey S. Watts, Chartes C. Watts, Mvs, H. K 



5k6 LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 

Harding, Mrs. Laura E. Beane, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph 
Farns worth, Mrs. E. B. Look, Mrs. Rufus D. Tabbut, 
Mrs. Jerusha D. Bridgham, Mrs. Martha Watts 
Schoppe, Geo. W. Schoppe, William W^atts, James 
Watts, B. K. Watts. 

Thi8 stone was erected June 12^ 
1902^ tinder the direction of the Han- 
nah ^\est07i Chapter^ Daughters 
American Mevolution^ Machlas, Me. 

In memory of 
HANN^ AH {WATTS) WESTON 

wife of 

Josiah Weston 

Born in Haverhill^ Mass.^ 

JSTov. 22, 1758 

Hied in Jonesboro, 

Dec. 12, 1855. 

She icas A Woma7i of great cour- 
age and b^'averg. She manifested it 
dwring tlve battle at Machias on June 
12, 1775, by collecting ammunition 
and carrying it throtigh the wilder- 
ness to aid the citizens in defense of 
the town. 

SIZE OF MONUMENT. 

Base — 49 inches wide, 19 inches high, 26 inches 
thick. Plinth — 39 1-2 inches high, 38 inches wide, 
13 1-2 inches thick. Bronze Marker — 24 1-2 inches 
wide, 25 3-4 inches thick. 



LIFE OF HAXXAir WESTON 97 

The Hannah Weston Chapter, Daughters of American 
Revolution, Miss Lucy Talbot Ames, Regent, located 
at Machias, are entitled to credit for the effective in- 
terest manifested in securing a fitting Memorial over 
the ashes of Plannah Weston. 

At the dedication of the monument tliere were ap- 
propriate exercises and the following address was 
given by Rev H, F. Ihirding : 

In the mouth of one his famous characters, the great 
Poet puts these words. 

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our star. 
But in ourselves that we are underlings." 

The man who said that was not wrong, neither was 
he right. 

For the inspiration, the opportunity, tlie call to such 
noble deeds — as shall lift one above common liu- 
manity, and immortalize a name, comes from above, — 
is divine ; is providential ; but there must be also the 
personality — the capacity, the will, the energy, in u 
word, the man or woman for the hour and the work — 
where danger and sacrifice are demanded in a good 
cause, and earns thereby the praise and honor of man- 
kind. 

It is not given to all men to be gicat. To the must 
of us either the gifts or opportunity, or both are lack- 
ing ; but all men instinctively "lionor the brave." All 
noble souls honor and love the hero — especially the 
heroine ; and for every unselfish act or service done 
for love of God or man, at the cost of danger and sac- 
rifice, hold in grateful remembrance the deed and the 
name of the actor ; and moreover take care to provide^. 



98 UFE OF flA?Jl^*Afet V^feSTON 

by festal days, memorial stones, and votive tablets, 
that the memory of any noble deed shall never perish 
from the minds of men. 

Today we gather here, from near and far— ^a great 
company — men, women and children, to dedicate with 
appropriate ceremonies, this monument, placed over 
the grave of a noble woman, who now sleeps l)eneatli 
for more than a century. 

The story of Hannah Watts Weston, handed down 
from the far oft' past, is too familiar and Avide spread* 
to need repetition on this occasion . The mention (^f 
a few of the prominent facts will suffice for our own 
purpose* 

The news of Lexington and Bunker Hill b;iving 
reached this remote frontier, and roused the patriotism 
of the hardy pioneers, settled along the coast — an<l 
from the scattered settlements, on bay and river, the 
men had gathered at Machias to resist the oppress 
sive power of Great Britain, and captiue the Marga- 
retta, sent to awe them into submission— under whose 
very guns they had erected their Liberty Pole. In the 
crises of the battle their scanty supply of annnunition 
gave out — and none to be had anywheie. What gave 
victory to the British arms at the tinal assault un 
Bunker Hill, threatened to defeat the bold attempt of 
their compatriots at Machias. So their hard extreme 
ity became Hannah Weston's great opportunity. Willi 
a forethought and promptness that seems nothing- 
short of an inspiration, and so much beyond her years 
— she went about to collect all the pewter and powder 
in Jonesboro— some 40 or 50 pounds ; but who shovdil 



1,1 FK <»F HANNAH AVKSION 09 

tiunspoi't, to miles through the dense un travelled 
wilderness, where the wild beasts prou le<i, and sw\;»k>' 
liKlians roamed at large and lurked in secret jilaees — 
and a river between, was the question. All night sin* 
lay awake brooding i>ver the dithculty and danger, — 
and eame to her deeision— There was nobody hut her- 
self to do it: so equipping herself to the jonriu'y, tak- 
ing two days' provision, and a younger comiJanion 
with her to assist, early in the inoining she started 
on her uncertain and perilous adventure — this gii'l of 
10 summers and bride of five mojiths fared forth, 
on their strange and untraveled mission — with only 
uceasional blazed trees to mark here(»nrse. No wond- 
er they got lost in the woods, and warxlered aixtut loi- 
hours befoi-e they reached the shining river, tlu-ir tiist 
objective point near whei'e Whitneyville now stands. 
There the younger girl, ])ecoming exliausted, gave out, 
lUid there they sat down to rest and eat their dinner. 
Leaving her companion behind, Flaiinah, *^faint, yet 
pursuing,'' went on, following the coui-se of ihe liver, 
till she came in sight of the village ; and going buck 
for her companion and her precious burden, retracing 
her steps, as the sun wax siidviug in the West, and 

"The shadows fell on the forest paths,"' 

they emerged from the woixls and enUMv-d the town, 
bearing the much aee<led su])ply of ammunition, to the 
great amazement and the gre^der joy nf the gazing 

people. 

This is the story of Hannah Weston's fam(»ns ex- 
ploit that has kept alive the U'Mi\e and fame of Uie 



100 LIFE OP HANNAH WESTON 

actor for more than a century — to commemorate and 
perpetuate the memory which, we have placed this 
monument over her grave. 

It is worthy the fame handed down and the honor 
we pay to it today. Ah I the wonder and regret is 
that she has waited so long for this memorial stone 
and its votive tablet. 

In vain will you search history for the record of a 
single act of heroism, combining in itself, more fully, 
the noble characteristics of calm forethought, decision, 
courage, energy and success in so great a cause, — so 
young in years, too, so simple and sincere, and thought- 
less of praise or fame, — where romance and reality so 
blend and harmonize. 

Do we ask how it happens that Hannah Weston, 
so young in years and strong in character should be- 
come possessed of, more than others, the boldness and 
energy for such a deed? The question is largely 
answered in the remarkable fact, that the blood of 
Hannah Dustan, of ancient renown, flowed in her 
veins. 

I wonder sometimes if the young womanhood of 
today, with their refined culture, and high intellectual 
ambitions, and heroic lofty, romantic ideals — would 
bear the test of reality^ at the time for action — in the 
day of trial ? 

That we are here today, all so happy and earnest on 
this occasion — that or our hearts and hands are fully 
in it, shows a kinship with the spirit and character 
we honor today — and so I trust when the call shall 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 101 

arise, if it ever shall, as it may, the lieroines would 
not be lacking. 

When the hand of the little Hannah shall have un- 
veiled this monument to your view, 1 must call to 
your special notice its perfect fitness to the purpose, 
and use for wliich it was designed — is plain and sim- 
ple in form, in material so substantial and enduring ; 
r(^)Ugh and unpolished on the exterior, as nature madt; 
it, touched by the hand of art only to outline its shape 
and symmetry, how admirably tittc^l it is to represent 
and express the native simplicity, a atrength char- 
acteristic of the times and people it eonnneinorates. 

Tlie opening spring around us teaches the lesson 
that the memory of the good and true shall flourish 
ever fresh and green ; — even the little sliower that 
sprinkled us in the opening of the service, seemed a 
baptism from above, and the splendor of the sunshine 
breaking in like the smile of heaven, makes our ser- 
vice a holy commemoration, 

I must not close without a word of appreciation of 
the anxious labor and care bestowed u]k)]i this work, 
by the Daughters of K<?volution, whit-li lias been 
crowned with such complete succes^s, and a faint ex- 
pression of the gratitude we feel to tlicm for this hap- 
py memorial occasion, not soon to be forgotten. And 
so we finish our service of today with the pi'ayer of 
dedication, olfered by the minister, and tlie unveiling 
of the monument by the hand of the little four-year- 
old maiden — lineal descendant in the fourth gener- 
ation, and the patriotic songs of the band of children, 
and the sti]-ring strains of nnisic ; — and depart — leav- 



102 



LIFK OV HAN X AH WKSTON 



ing behind us this niemoriiil stone and votive tablet. 
to stand on this conspicuous elevation, silently speak- 
ing to the generations as they pass by, a constant ex- 
ample and inspiration to noble deeds, for all those 
who shall come after us — w lasting honor to the town 
of Jonesboro, and a worthy tribute to the deed a.ii<l 
character of the woman whose name it holds in ever- 
lasting remembrance. 

At the dedication '•'The vStar Spangled Bainier, whick 
followed the bugle call, was a fitting opening, rendere<l 
by school children, accompanied by a brass quartette^ 
first cornet, F. T. Crane; second cornet, Charles Ilef- 
fron; first alto, Albert Allan; trombone, Cv M. Hatch- 
inson. 

Three girls of four to five years, of the fifth gener- 
ation from Hannah Weston, ini veiled the stone. 
Prayer followed by Rev. Lynn V . Farnsworth, also 
the fifth in line of descent. 

Services closed by singing " America." 

A large collection of people witnessed the cere- 
monies. 



IJ F K O K HANNAH W KSTUN H)^) 

The tollowiag poem wms coiilrilMUfd by F. J. Moore 
Df >laeliias, ItKUi. 

J/AXXAJf WKSTOX. 

In trackless wilds, mid Arctic snows 
On fields with fires of battle lit, 
Our common Yankee blood still shows 
The ancient, steadfast Saxon grit ! 

Not to man's strength and skill alone, 

Comes guerdon of achievement high ! 
For woman's brow a wreath has won. 
Unfading as the noonday sky. 

Go read the name on Honor's page. 

Who for their country do and dare, 

(A nation's glorious heritage,) 

And woman's name is written there. 

And she who sleeps beneath the stone, 

Which reverent hands in memory raise. 
Whose fame on all the winds has flown. 
And won its meed of generous praise ; 

Content the common ways of life 

Mad walked, its cares and pleasures knew; 
The sound that told of patriot strife, 
Her soul to higher duties drew. 

She saw the path along which lay 
Her duty in that hour of need : 
Her feet undaunted trod the way, 
Unconscious of heroic deed. 

Not Saragossa's warrior maid. 

Or France s Joan for her King. 
A nobler courage e'er displayed. 
Than she whose humble praise I smg. 



104 LIFE OP HANNAH WESTON 

Akin she was to her who kept* 

Mid savage foes her courage high, 
And won, while captors round her slept, 
Her dauntless way to liberty. 

Above life's common fears they stood, 

Nor shrank when sterner trials came ; 
Allied alike in name and blood, 
And consanguinity of fame. 

The tale is one of distant years ! 

Where forests wide their shadows cast. 
And roamed the savage, now appears 
Broad, cultured lands and cities vast. 

Then was a nation born, which stands 

In conscious grandeur, strong and free ! 
And who can say what humble hands 
Have helped to shape its destiny ? 

To those great names our hearts have thrilled 
Who nations formed, or died to save, 
But they have also helped to build. 
Whose hands the humblest service gave. 

The statesman's, warrior's shaft we raise. 
And consecrate each honored spot. 
This humble stone records her praise. 
Whose name should never be forgot ! 

Oh, snow of winter ! softly fold 

Thy whitest mantle o'er her breast ; 
And summer wind thy requiem hold. 
Around her lowly place of rest. 

For she is now one of the band, 

Whose names are of the storied brave ! 
And pilgrim feet will come to stand. 
In reverence by her honorgd grave, 



♦Hannah Dustan. 



DESCENDANTS OF HANNAH AND 
JOSIAH WESTONT. 

rjlIIE following genealogy has been compiled by aid 
-*- of members of different families of the fifth 
generation of Hannah Weston. 

In each generation and in almost every family down 
to the fifth generation the same names occur. An- 
uther difficulty arises in tliis Wdx : A boy's name is 
William Harrison; hi some branches of the family he 
will be called William and in anotlier brancli he will 
be called Harrison. Tliis renders tnicing descent of 
families very ])er})lcxiug. 

In the main the folio whig tabulatiun w ill, 1 ihink^ 
be found quite reliable. 

Josiah and Hainiah ^Vestol^s children : 
Eliza, born October, 177.3 

f 



Hannah, 

Hannah, 
Susan, 

Betsey, 

Elsie, 

Aphia, 

Sopliia, 

Frances, 

Phebe, 

Sally, 

Amelia, 

.1 ( (sex'h, 



February, 1778 

February, 1780 
Sei»tember, 1783 
November, 178o 
April, 17vS.s 

Februarv, 1790 
3ray, ' 1792 
Decern I )er, 1794 
August, 1797- 
November, 1799 
October, 1892 
April, 1806 



Burned in house 
( when one year okL 



-Died hi 18 IL 



KMl J.IFI') OF HAS N All WES ION' 

Elsie married lieiijainin Dunmui, Nov. \l 171J4; 
by Rev. James Lyon at Maeliias — their children : 

Mary Israel llanimh Cblou Lydia 

Josiah Xathanif'I Loraine lietsey 

Mary married John Lawreiuu* of i-herryiield, 
Mary died in 1877 in Minneapolis, Minn. 
Josiah, eldest son of Kenj, boi'n in Jtuiesboro, Jan. G, 
1799, died June 7, 1.S88, at Kingston, Minn; married 
Sophia, daugliter of Asa Farnsworth, Sei)t. 1, is2r», 
Sheborn Jan, 19, ISOcS; died Feb, 14, 1S<S4, Freneli 
Lake, Minn.; Cliikbvn ; 

Stephen H, Benjanun *Martlia Eliza 

Emily Keziali Mary 

Stephen niarried Abagail linzzell — Children; 
Arthur AMlber *Fred 

*'J'liaddeus Calista Iloxa 

Arthur married Mary Girard-^Xo ehiklren ; 

Wilber niarried Ann Ilodolph — Childien ; 
C'larissa Leroy Lulu Calista 

Calista married Kersey Hod()li)li — C-hildren : 
Ellery Floyd. 

Roxa married Sheridan MeQiuUen — Children : 

Alda Delia Editli 

Josiah Dorman and children live in Minnesota, 



*l)ied wlien young. 



LIFE OV HANNAH WESTON lOT 

ItjU'ii'el Dui'niaii of Jit'iij. married Juaiiiia Kingsley of 
8teubeii — Cliildren : 

Elizabeth I.ouisa Eiueliue Laura Lewis 

(jeorge Aubiiie IVIargaret Fraiiees Sarali 

Elizabeth iiuirried Asa Gould^ — ('hildreii : 

Josephine Ililiuan Helen 

Lcjuise married 1 5en jam in C. ('. Leighton ; he went 
to Cape Town, South Afriea ; died there. Tliey liad 
one child, Aarriet, 

Enieline married Xathuiiiel (L Leighton; both de- 
ceased. 

Liiura mai'ried AV'm. 11. I.aiMenee. 

Lewis married Lueretia Leighton, 

George, unmarried, died Fel). 2U, I^'^IMJ, nl IJertlia, 
Minn. 

Aubine married James S. Lane ; native of St. 
Stephen, N. B,; both living in 3Iinneapolis. 

jMargaret died at age of seventeen, 

Frances married Robert Wood, native of Illinois ; 
she died, 181)}); he died, 1S64 at Fort Abercrombia, 
]\[inn. 

Sarah married Alvarado Kiehardson ; she living ; 
lie died in 189(), Minneapolis. 

Nathaniel Dorman, od son of Benjamin nrarried 
Phebe Spears Schoppe ; one child, John, who married 
Melisa Leighton of Cherryfield — Children ; 

Herbert Phebe Alonzo Minnie 

Phebe married Mason Griffin — Children : 
Alonzo Minnie 



108 lifeJ of hanxaii westox 

Nathaniel iiiairifd M Susainiii l^iitnam — Children 
by this marriage : 

Phebe -.\mbrose Augustus Harri.suJi 

Samuel Ellen Leonard 

Phebe married Curtis Davis, Clierrytield — Children: 
Jeanette Aul)ine Charlotte Ethel 

Jeanette married John Case ; one chihL 

Aubine married Frank Evans ; no children. 

Charlotte married Amos Britten; three children^ 
names not reported. 

Ethel married ; no children. 

Ellen, daughter of X. and Susanna l^oi'man, nrarried 

Charles Sliea — Children : 

Mary *Charles Albert Annie Amanda Belle 
Harry Charles Epliraim Aubine Geoi-gie 

Mary married Walter Saulsbury — Children: 
i^hirgaret Maurice 

Albert married Laura Caylor — Children : 

Hardy Percie Ec^ho 

Annie married Jeremiah Goble — Four children, 
names not reported. 

Amanda married John Wesburg — Xo children. 

Belle married .Vlexandci- Crider — Childi'en : 
Kate Herbert Syljil. llus family Vive in Minn. 

Harrison Y., son of Xath'l Dorman^ bori] in Har- 
rington, l<S-iO, now livings married Sarah Townsend. 
Fair Haven, Minn.— -Cliildren : 

Elma Etta Colin Koy 

Harrv Mvrtle (Tarland 



-^Died when vounc-, 



LFFK OF HANNAH WKSTOX KM) 

Colin Dorman, fourth and youngest s(jii of l>enja- 
mill married Priscilla, daughter of Asa Fariisworth ; 
first years of married life they lived in AVHiitneyville, 
later in Milbridge a short time and in I8i35 moved to 
Sheboygan Falls, Wis.: Chi Idi-en— Harriet, Ivory R. 

Harriet married Alfred Wright, a native of Aylmar, 
Canada ; reside in San Fraiiciseo. No children. 

Ivory resides at Sheboygan Falls; unmarried. 

Colin JDorman died at Sheboygan Falls, Dec. .3, 18U3, 
aged about 80 years : his wife died Aug. 17, 1892, 
aged 72. Their children were natives of Whitney- 
ville. 

Benjamin F., son of J osiah Dorman, married Florilla 
Parritt of Steuben : 2d Sarah Strout of Milbridge : M 
Mai'tha I). Wilson; one child of Benj. and Martha. 
Eliza, who married Lewis H. Libby, son of Nathan of 
Jonesboro. Children — Lyman, Willard, Laura. 

Lyman married Myrtle Vincent; two (children — 
Claude, Huth. 

Willard married Sarah Floyd. Cliildren— Ellery, 
Ivy. Ira, Henrietta. 

Laura married \Vm. Parker; no chikhen. 

Mrs. Lewis Li!,l)y and descendants are living in the 
state of Wjjshingtoiu exce])t Lyman, who lives in 
Minnesota. 

Martha of Josiah Dorman died in childhood. 

Emily, sister of Martha, died at Kingston, April 
17, 187U. 

Keziah, of Josiah, died at the age of three. 



110 LIFE OF HAXXAIl WESTON 

Mary, of .losiah, married .luseph W'eyiner, a native 
of New York state ; lie died at Kingston, Oct., 189(). 

Benjamin and Sarah's children— 

Cora Charles =*^Mary Lilly Hamlet 

Cora married Hutledg-e Moss. CluldreJi — 

Guy William Florence Cecil Clifford John 

Charles married Cora Wilson. Cliildren^ — 
Walter Maude Eugene 

Lilly married George Roberts : no children. 

Hamlet married Annie Petty. (J)ne child — Harold, 

Benj. and descendants live in state of Washington, 
except Mrs. Moss and family live in Minnesota. 

Hannah Dorman, second daughter of Benjamin, 
married Wm. 8. Marston of Jonesboro. Children : 
Gilbert Josiah Daniel Eliza Lucy Elvira 
Sarah Cynthia Aubine Ruth AVilliam 

All born in Jonesboro, except lAicy, wlio was borji 
in Boston, her parents having resided there a few 
years. 

Gilbert married Martha, daughter of John Shorey — 
he died on the island of Hayti, W. L, while at sea; 
two children, Charles and Gilbert. 

Gilbert was killed by accident on a cattle ranche in 
the West ; he left two children ; one was named 
Martha, for her grandmother. 

Charles married Gilbert's widow ; both are now 
living. 



*Died when young. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WES J ON 111 

Daniel married Sylvester, eldest daughter of Horace 
and Sabrina Hall, of Jonesboro. Children ; 

Horace Maude Madge 

Daniel married second, Miriam, daughter of John 
and Saiah (Whitney) Lord, Jonesboro. Children : 
Until l^^.rley 

Eliza married 11. A. Johnson ; no children, 
Lucy married Lenmn Hilton, of California; no 
further record of them. 

Elvira married Wm. Burnett. Children: 

AVilliam Robert 

Sarah died Chelsea, Mass. 

Ruth of Wm. S., married Geo. Lawton of Chelsea, 
Cynthia married John Sweetzer. Children : 
Edward Lottie Olive 

William was lost in the Behring Sea; Josiah is living 
in Boston ; Daniel hi Jonesboro ; Eliza died at Roque 
Bluft's ; Lucy in San Jose, Call.; Elvira, Sarah and 
Cynthia live in Chelsea ; Ruth in Cambridge, Mass.; 
Aubine in Machiasport, 

Betsey, daughter of Benj. Dorman, miirried Stephen 
H. Farnsworth, of Jonesboro; lived in Beddington, 
later moved to China, Me., where both died. Children: 
George E. Nathaniel JMartha Eliza 
Everett Colin Josephine xVlvni 

Cliildren of ]^>etsey all died young. 
Alvin died in the army during the C:ivil War. 
George E. married Emeline Libby. Children : 
Wilber Simon 1-izzie 

Wilbei- died at the age of 28, 



112 I, IKE OF HANNAH WE8T0X 

Lizzie married Frank Norton, live in C'aril)ou, Me. 
Children : 

Velma N'erna Fred Halpli 

Nathaniel, son oi Steplien, lived on his father'8 
homestead, China ; married .\l)bie liarrv. Children : 
Everett Mansell (n*orgie 

Nathaniel and wile l)oth dead. 
Leonard, son of Xathaiiiel Dormaii, married Harriet 

Childs. Children : 

Bert Lee Mande Lillian Eai'l <ilady.s 

Leonard and t'amil_y live in Oklahoma, 

Harrison Y., .son of Nathaniel, married Sarah Towns- 
end of Fair Haven, Minn.; she a native of Ohio, born 
in 1845 : Children : 
Elma Etta C'olin Hoy Harry Myrtle Garland 

Elma married .Inlian Belden. Childien : 
Archie Byrel 

Etta married Geo, Waller ; one child, Myrtle. 

Colin married Helen ; two children: 

Myrtle Joy 

Roy married ; one child, Aubine. 

Harry married Mattie Miller ; no children. 

Myrtle married Alfred J^ynch ; one child, Theron. 

Garland Dor man married Sarali Ely ; no children 

^Vmbrose T., son of Nathaniel, 1S(>0, married Sarah 
J. Goble. Children : 
William A. Edith V. Sylvia .1 . Martha A. John P, 

Loraine JJ)orman, of Benjamin, married David Pat- 
ten of Cherryfield in 1828 ; She born Dee. 27, 1808 ; 
he born Sept- 2, 1805 ; she died in 1851 in Cherrytield; 
he July 12, 1869, in Talmadge, Me, 



LIFE OF HANNAH WKSTON llf) 

Lydia, youngest (laughter of !3eiijaniin and Eliza, 
married Wni. Davis of Harrington ; slie born in IL, 
Nov. 27, 1817. 

Samuel J^ornian, of Nathaniel, married Martha 
Goble, native of Kentucky. Children : 

Jessie Harriet Ella Ada Ellen 

Elmer Myrtle Franklin Gracie 
Ambrose, brother of .Samuel, married Sarah Goble. 
Children : 

William Edith Sylvia Maitha John P. 

Harriet, of Samuel, married Magnes Johnson. 
Children : Lilly, Victoria. 

Phebe Dorman mariied Curtis Davis. Children : 

Jeannette Aubine Charlotte Ethel 
Jeannette married John Case ; one child. 
Aubine married Frank Evans ; no children. 
Charlotte married Amos Bretton ; three children. 

Ethel married ; no children. 

Emily Dorman, daughter of Josiah, unmiirried. 
Mary married Joseph Weymar. Children : 

Ada Alvah Mildred Ida 

Last two died young. 

Ida Weymer married Jerome H., son of Peter Farns- 
worth of Columbia Falls. Children : 

Lester Eftie Ira 

Alvah Weymer married Annie Peters ; children : 

Bertha Clifford AValter 

Mrs. Weymer and family live in Minnesota, except 
Alvah and family who live in South Dakota. 

Ambrose Dorman married Sarah Goble ; children : 
William Edith Svlvia Martha John 



114 LIFE OF HASXAH WESTON 

William iiiamed Etlie Lucy ; children ; 

Sylvia Pearl Goldie William 

Edith married Raymond Gates ; no children^ 

Sylvia married Benjamin Tuey ; cliildren not re* 
Ijorted. 

Ambrose Dorman and descendants all live in Min- 
nesota. 

Ellen Dorman, daughter of Nathaniel, married 
Charles Shea : children : 

Gary *Gharles Albert Annie Amanda Belle 
*Harry Gharles Ephraim Aubine Georgia 
Mary married Walter Saulsbury t children : 

Margaret Maurice 

Albert mai'ried Laura Caylor ; children ■ 

Hardy Percie Echo 

.\nnie married Jeremiah Goble t four children* 
names not known, 

Amanda married John Westburg; no children. 
Belle married Alexander Grider ; children : 
Kate Herbert Sybil 

Above family live in Minnesota. 

Tlie hrst Dorman of which we find record was 
Thomas at Ipswich, Mass., in 1684. Thomas had three 
sons. Eldest son died without issue. His second son^ 
Thomas, had a family of seventeen children. His 
tirst child, Timothy, was an early settler of Boxford^ 
Mass. Thomas' twelfth child — -Jabez — was an early 
settler of Arundel, now Kennebunkport, Me. Tim- 
othy's son, Jabez, jr., settled sometime about 1769 
at Mill River, Harrington, Me. 



*Died when young. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 115 

Hannah, Mrs. Weston's second child, died at the age 
of one year ; burned to death when their house was 
burned. The third child was named Hannah and she 
married Moses Plummer, jr., (his second wife) of 
Pleasant River, now Addison. Their children : 

Barnabas Abagail Robert Ma,r.y 

Josiah W. Aphia Eben 

Barnabas married Asenath Wass ; he born Dec. 7, 
1806; she April 21, 1808; married May 14, 1829; 
children ; Miranda Jerome 

Miranda married Calvin Small of Cherryfield, Nov. 
28, 1847; children: Frank E. Ella 

Frank married Augusta H. Ray, Dec. 28, 1876 ; 
children: Ella Allana Mary 

Ella married James F. Hooper of Castine, June 27, 
1900. 

Barney Plummer died Nov. 20, 1856; Asenath Aug. 

13, 1852; Jerome died young; Calvin Small died Feb. 

15, 1890 ; Ella Small, May 1, 1859 ; Miranda Small, 

Nov. 22, 1891 ; Augusta Small, July 24, 1888. 

Josiah W. never married. 

Abagail married Asa Webb of Harrington ; children: 

Arthur Alonzo, lost at sea John Julia 

Anna Albion 

One of Abagail's girls, Aphia, married John Webb ; 
children : 

Augustus Charles * William Hannah 

Caroline George Ed. ^Sarah 

Augustus and Charles died without issue. 
Hannah married F. E. Downes of Portland ; one 
child, Chester. 



*Died in infancy. 



116 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 



Caroline not married. 

George Ed, married Charlotte Woodbury ; one child, 
Apliia. 

Mary married StiUman Dyer of Addison ; two chil- 
dren : Orva Eliza 

Orva died young. 

Eliza married George E. Ihise of Bath, Me.; two 
children : Florence Helen 

Eben married Betsey Snrail ; one child, a son, who 
died when young. 

Robert Plummer married Susan Small ; no children. 

Arthur Webb married Emeline Dinsmore ; children: 
Everett ^Nellie P^rank 

Everett married Dora Leigh ton ; two children : 
Hersey Georgia 

Frank, son of Arthur, married Hannah McCaslin ; 
two children : Nellie Ida 

Albion Webb married Martha A. Davis, Cherrylield ; 
children : 

Stillman Alvin Howard Berniece 
Blanche Edward Grace Clifford 

Mr. Webb and family live in West Sullivan, Me. 

Stillman Webb married Lucv Kincaid, Columbia. 

Alvin married Edith Fickett, Franklin. 

Grace Webb died May 26: 1900. 

Julia Webb married -- — Cushnran ; children, names 
not known. 

John, son of Abagail, married — ; one child? 

Ernest, live Lynn, Mass. 



^Died when young. 



I A F E < > I ■ HANNAH W i:si«> N 117 

Moses ['liiniiuer, Jr., went to CiLlifoi-iiia in tlu' scli. 
Helgrade from Chen-ytiekl in 1849. In a short time 
after iurival he died in [)assing- from tlie vessel to tlie 
shore in San Francisco. 

Snsan Weston married Nathan Hanscom ; children: 
Ruth Phebe Nathan .losiah 

Samne] ITamiah 

Ruth married Aaron Avciillof ("i-a\vford ; cliildren : 
Tloratio A. Warren S. Rosv.ell H. Frank S. 
Abbie A. Charles W. Josiah W. Ennna Mary 

Horatio married 3laria Hanscom; no children. 

AVarren married Belle lUake of Wesley ; their chil- 
di'cn : Lillie Frederic 

Lillie married - — — Clark. 

Roswell died young. 

Frank married 31aria Wormwood, daughter of Dan- 
iel F. Wormwood of Crawford ; cliildren :•, 

Roswell Albert Clara 

Abbie married George Blake; she died and he mar- 
ried Abbie's sister, Emma. 

Charles never married. 

Josiah AV. married .Minnie McLaughlin of Baring, 
Me.; childi-en : Roy Ruth N*ellie 

Mary married Sanuiel A\'(»rnr\vo(>d of Crawfoi'd : no 
children. 

Phebe married Charles Cottle of Alexander. Ale.. 
children: Angeline nam|)den Emma Cliarles 

Sanuiel married Mar\- 'J'riffet ; children : 
Roswell * Ella 

Hannah married George Averill of Cooper ; children: 
Susan Lovina (Jeorge W. Jesse 
Sophia \'iola Angeline 



Josiali VV., soli of Susan and Nathan Hansconi, mar^ 
ried Amanda Tyler, a sister of the late B. W. Tyler of 
Alexander. They Were married at ^Stockton, C'al., in 
1850 ; ehildren : George, born in 1852 ; Nathan, born 
in 1855. 

Nathan married and has a family living at ^m An^ 
dreas, CaL 

Bion B., born lbi.'>7^ was living, \y\wu last heard froni 
at Ceres^ Stanislaus county-. C'al. 

Josiah born in 1851^ ninnarried^ lived al iVlodesta, 
Cal. — at last accoiuits was publisliing a newspaper. 

Edward born in J 8t)o^ died in 1891; left a widow j 
nothing further known. 

Elma born in 18t)7^ married, but no further reijort, 
Robert borti in 18*70, liVed \\ith his nephew Bion. 
when last heard from. 

Amanda Hanseom died at Ceres, Cal.-, 188i>. 

Josiah VV. Hanseom lived with his son, Bion, after 
his wife's death : this date^ Dee. '02^ do not know 
whether Josiah is living or not. 

Nathan^ of Josiah's family-, is a lawyer having a iaV\ 
office in San Andreas^ He has one son, Ralph, tlie 
son was born at Seattle, Wash., 1884. 

Bion lives on a "rental farin'* in (^eres : he has two 
girls born 1881 and 1883. 

Josiah W. went to Califoinia iii 1849^ or '50 ; his 
wife, Miss Tyler^ followed soon* hence their marriage 
in Stockton. We have hot been able to learn the 
maiden names of Josiah's son's wives or date of miirriag"e. 



Ll*E O'l-' HANNAH \VElStON' 119 

Betsey Weston married Asa. Farnsvvorth •; r^hildreii : 

Sybil Stephen Natlianiel Joseph 

Keziah Peter llaniet 'George 

Sophia Priscilla Caroline 

•Sybil married Nathan Libby ; children : 

George M. Betsey Emeline Lewif^ 

Kllery, who died in the Union army. 
Oeorge married Eliza tie th Noyes ; children : 

Mary l.uella Bessie 

Mary married Bela A. Garnett ; chihlren : 
A'erna Mand Willi^^ Clarence Carl Beilha 
None married, 

Luella nuirried Liucohi Reynolds ; children : 
Viola Minnie Arthnr Herbert Ralph Daniel 
None married 

Bessie married Ernest Smith ; children ■: 
Harold Oscar Ernest 

Sybil married, second, Samuel Trickey ; one child, 

Asa \\'. 

Asa married Laura, daughter of he wis 'i'upper; 
'children : Lizzie Sybil Both died young. 

Keziah, of Asa, married Hiram Libby; one child, Asa. 

Asa lUai'ried Nancy, daughter of Capt. Samuel 
Watts of Jonesboro; children: 

Ella Hiram Alice Omar 

Alice married Elba Mayo; children: 
Ethel Harland 

married Melvina Young, one child, Everett. 

Sophia married Josiah W. Oorman :— See Benjamin 
|j)orman*s faniily-. 

Stephen married Betsey Dormali ; — See DoVinan. 



120 



j;iFK OF UAN.NAll WK8TON 



Peter married Abagail Pineo, daughter of Timothy 
*^f Jonesboro ; he borji in Joiiesboro, May 11, 1815 ; 
she in same town Jan. 6, 1818 ; married Oct. 10, 1845; 
cuildren : Jerome H., born ^Vug. :i]0, 1848 ; married 
Ida J. Weymer, Dec. 20, 1876, she died May 20, 1899 ; 
their chikh'en, Lester W., born Oct, 12, 1879, now at 
the Philippine islands ; Ethe, born Aug. lo, 1881 ; Ira, 
born Dec. 0: 1884, live in Kingston, Mimi. 

Susan, born May 19, 1850, lives in Otisheld, Me.; 
married James C. Moss, ^larch 4, 187(5 ; one child, 
Vinia, born Sept. 20, 1870 ; married Chester Jordan, 
Xov. 20, 1900 ; live in Worcester, Mass.; one cliild, 
Grace. 

Abbie S., of Jerome, born March 5, 1801 ; married 
Benj. F. Allen, March 17, 188o ; their children : Susie, 
born April 27, 1880; Carolyn, born July 4, 1898; live 
at Columbia Falls. 

Priscilla, of Asa, married Cblin Dorman. — See Doi*- 
man, 

Nathaniel C, of Asa, married Clara, daughter of 
Capt, Samuel AVatts of Jonesboro ; children : 

Maria Herbert Fannie 

Maria married E, D, Churchill of Illinois ; children: 

Frank Clarence Edward 

Herbert married Olive Trowbridge ; one child, Na- 
thaniel. 

Fannie, unmarried : resides at Sheboygan Falls, 
Wis. 

Harriet, of Asa, married Simon Berry of Machias ; 
no children. 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 121 

Caroline, of Asa, married Win. Longfellow, resided 
at Sheboygan Falls ; one child, Gilbert ; he married 
Alice Goodell ; children : Winfield, Elmer, Wads- 
worth. 

AVm. Longfellow married, second, Amelia Farns- 
worth, daughter of Amasa ; no children. 

Joseph W., of Asa, born March 27, 1827 ; married 
Eliza, daughter of Gamaliel Pineo of Columbia, resi- 
dence Columbia Falls ; children : 

Charlotte, born April 9, 1853 
Gilbert, " June 4, 1854 
Priscilla, " May 5, 1858 
Mary, " Dec. 26, 1868 

Gilbert died {was drowned) Aug. 6, 1871. 

Charlotte married Eugene Look, of Addison, June 
2, 1877; now living in Columbia Falls; children : 

M. Editha, born March 20, 1878; married Nov. 7, 
1899: Geo. Tabbut; reside there. 

Fred, born Jan. 16, 1880 ; lives in E. Cambridge, 

Mass. 

Lester, born April 12, 1883 
Seth, born April 2, 1888 
Priscilla, of Joseph, married July 6, 1883, Seth C- 
Bryant of Stoneham ; reside there ; no children. 

Mary, of Joseph, married Rufus Tabbutt of Colum- 
bia Falls, Oct. 24, 1893 : reside there ; no children. 

George Franklin, of Asa, married Sophronia, daugh- 
ter of Moses Smith of Jonesboro ; children : 
Ada Herbert Carrie Laura Harriet Amasa 
Herbert died , 1900. 

Ada married D. O. D. Hanscom, Marshtield; children: 
Herbert Frank AYilliam 



12*> 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 



C!arri«^ Hiarried Win. Thompson, Roque Bliifts ; 
children : George, Harriet ; residence, Machias. 

Laura, Harriet, Herbert and AniavSa, of G. Franklin, 
nnniarried. 

Elsie Weston married John Schoppe ; children : 
Phebe Anthony Fannie William 

Hannah Eliza George 

Phebe married ]*^athaniel Dorman ; one child, Free^ 
man ; he married Melissa Leighton ; (children : 
Herbert Phebe Alonzo 

Anthony married Sophronia Gottin. — See Daniel 
Coffin. 

Frances or Fannice, of Elsie and John, married 
Adrian Abbott, of New Hampshire ; children : 

Elsie Viola Sevella Orson Valentine 

Philander William P^rank Anthony 

Elsie married John Fowler : no children. 

Viola married Rufns Doe ; children : Henry and two 
others, names not known. 

Sevella died young, 

Orson married Susan Doe ; children : 

William Perley Xettie Fred 

Perley married Venia White, one child, Lillian. 

Nettie married Lincoln Haycock, one child, Ralph. 

Valentine married Julia Stevens ; children : 
Ellis George 

Philander married Rose Worcester ; children : 
Endora Fannie Grace 

Adrian Abbott died in 1881 ; his wife died Oct. 28, 
1902, aged 88. After the death of her husband she 
made her home with her son, Anthony, at Pittsburg, 



LIFE OF HAN:N^AH WESTON 123 

N. H. When first luaiTied for several years tliey 
lived in Jonesboro, at the head of the "Gieat Cove," 
later nioved to Beddington, where now their ashes 
repose. 

William, of .John and Elsie, married, first, Margaret 
Schoppe ; children : 

Harvey VVintield Gleason 

George Joseph Martha 

Harvey married Mary Cushman ; one child, William. 
Wintield married Olive Longfellow ; children : 

Arthur Ray 

Gleason married Ida Hanson ; children ; 

Florence Martha 

George married Nellie Higgins : children : 

Herman Leslie 

Joseph married Mina Worcester ; no children. 
Martha married Andrew Currier ; children ; 

Harold Ella 

Martha married, secimd, Patrick Grey ; children : 

Merrill Arthur Lois 

William Schoppe married, second. Lois Cushman ; 
children : 

Everett Maggie Ella Albert 

Everett married Hattie Guptill ; children : 

Lena Harry 

Maggie married Llerbert Libby ; children : 

Fannie Mary Alice Samuel William 
Ella unmarried. 

Albert married Josephine Flummer. 
Hannah married Wilmot Bridgham ; children : 
Leverett Clara Margaret Fannie 
Louise Joseph Ozias Leander 



1-24 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 



Leverett married Harriet, daughter of Joseph Wes^ 
ton ; children : 

Mary Lois Helen Arthur 

Eliza Sarah Xellie Grace 

Mary married Harry Church ; children : 
Cyrus Helen Hannah Harriet 

Lois married A. A. Small ; one child^ Allena. 

Helen married Alden Parker ; one child, Fannie » 

Arthur married Edna Freeston ; children : 
Leverett William 

Eliza married Milford Small ; no children. 

Clara married George E. Noyes ; children : 
Leander Angle Annie 

Margaret married Adams Far ns worth ; children t 
Wilmot Ernest Charlotte 

Algie Eldridge Carroll 

Fannie married Ellis Smitli ; children : 

Hattie Eva Zella Mabel 

Clara Charles Herbert Ozias 

Hattie married Charles Crocker ; children. 

Louise married C. E. Smith ; no children. 

Joseph and Leander died when young. 

Ozias married Bertha Farnsworth ; children : 
Earl Waldo Alfred 

Eliza, of Elsie and John, married Ephraim Watts : 
children : 

George Albion Laura Samuel 

George married Minnie Allen ; children : 

Adella Herbert Eliza 

Adella married Amasa Farnsworth ; children : 

Neal Ina Florice Paul 

Herbert unmarried* 



I.IFK OF HANJsAil WESTON 1 'JT) 

liiliza uiarried Arthur Tucker; one c^liild. 
Albion married Lucretia Foster ; one eliild. 
Bernice married Charles Knight; no chikhen. 
Laura married George Johnson ; one child. 

Ephraim married Florence ■■; three children. 

Laura married, second^ Aljner Bean ; no children. 
Samuel married Elsie Hilyard ; children : 

Frank May Doris Marion 

Ueorge, of Elsie and John, married Adelaide Wake- 
tield ; children : 

Lizzie Frank 

Frank married Laura Bovvker ; no children. 

Aphia Weston married Wm. Schoppe ; one child, 
Francis, died April, 184L 

Fannie Weston itiarried Francis Schoppe ; no 
I'hildren. 

Sophia Watts Weston married Amasa Farnsworth. 
She born in Jonesboro^ May 81, 1*798 : he born in same 
town Feb. 24, 1792; married at Jonesboro in 1815. 
Children : 

John Hillard, born Aug. I, 1816; died April 8, 1888 
Leoniece " Feb. 4, 1819 

Leonard " March 14, 1821 ; 

Charles " Sept. 20, 1828 ; died Oct. 29, 1891 

Eri C. " Jan. 28, 1826 : died April 7, 1895 

Jos. Warren -' Sept. 20, 1829 

Phebe, | ^^^^.j^^ i^^j.j^ j.j^u 5 i^i^^ 

Melia ) ' 

Albert, born Xov. 9, 1886 

John H., born in Jonesboro, moved with his father's 

family to Beddington. He married Lucy C. Hatch of 

Dexter, Oct. 22, 1851 ; always lived at Beddington ; 



120 



LIFE OF HAXXAH WESTON 



children: Walter, born June 1, 1854; Andrew S.., 
July 10, 1856; Mary M., May 17, 1861 ; Milton E., 
July 6, 1868; Evie E., July 25, 1870. 

Walter C. married Sybil Wilson of Cherrytield, 
Aug. 18, 1882 ; children : Harold, born Aug. 1, 1884 ; 
Hillard, Aug.^1, 1884 (supposed to be twins); now live 
at Oherrytield- 

Andrew married Laura (Jakes of Beddington, Dee. 
Dec. 25, 1879 ; children : Sherman, born July 21, 
1880 ; Blanche, May 19, 1888 ; John, Feb. 8, 1885; 
Ray, Nov. 28, 1891 ; Maurice, Aug. 28, 1901 : residence 
Beddington. 

Mary married Benjamin F. Oakes, Sept. 10, 1880 ; 
children: Harry, born in P^eddington, May 6, 1883; 
Ruth, born May 4, 1893 ; Lena, born May l:S, 1895 ; 
residence, Cherrytield. 

Milton E., unmarried, living at Haverhill, Mass. 

Evie E. married Selden Oakes, Sept. o, 1888 ; 
children. Ralph, born Aug. 10, 1889; Clifford, born 
April 6, 1891 ; Eli, March 15, 1892; Mildred, June 23, 
1895; Milo, April 15, 1897; Lee, Oct. 30, 1899; Eben, 
May 4, 1902 ; residence, Beddington. 

Leoniece married John Q. Wliittemore, Aug. 22, 
1839 ; residence. Dexter, Me.; children : Amasa, born 
Dec. 25 1840, at Beddington; died Oct. 5, 1860, at 
Dexter. 

Albert, born Nov. 20, 1845, at Ripley, Me.; died 
July 26, 1848 ; Anna A., born Aug. 25, 1850, at Ripley] 
she married Thomas A. Chandler, Oct. 5, 1876 ; no 
children. 

John Q. Wliittemore, died at Dexter, June 5^ 1888. 



MKE OF HANNAH WESTOX 127 

Leonard J. married Nancy Wilson of Cherrytleld ; 
residence, Beddington ; she died May 19, 1888; children: 
>^ophia, born Sept. 20, 1844 ; died Jan. 15, 1901 ; 
Morea J., born July 10, 1846 ; Alfred C, born Dec. 17, 
1848 ; Lovicey E., born May 24, 18ol ; Guilford M., 
born Nov. o, 1853 ; Susan, born Aug. 7, 1756; Charles 
B., born Oct. 28, 1858: Frank G., born March 18, 1801. 

Sophia married John Small, Oct. 10, 1870; children: 
Florence, born Sept. 27, 1971 ; George, born Jan. 12, 
1878 ; Guilford and Milford (twins), born May 29, 
1874; Jenni<3, born Oct, 20, 1875; Lyndon, born May 
28, 1877; Irving, born April 2, 1879; Simon, born 
March 15, 1881 ; Alice, born Aug. 8, 1880; died Nov. 
15, 1898 ; Ralph; born Aug, 25, 1888. 

Milford married Lila Bridgham, Oct. 1>3, 1901 ; re- 
side at Beddington. 

Alfred, son of Leonaid, married Lydia \V. Evans, 
8ept., 1871; reside at Cherryfield; children; Abbie, 
born June 6, 1872; Amelia, born April 28, 1874; 
Aurilla, born March 0, 1870; Guy, born Dec. 17, 1878; 
Leonard, born Oct. 1880. 

Alfred's wife died May 27, 1895. 

Morea married Parker Willey in 18.s7 : reside in 

•Oherrvfield ; no children. 

Parker Willey died May, 1898. 

Lovicey married Oscar Ingersoil, July 80, 1870: he 
filed at Beddington, July 12,' 1898; children: Eugene, 
born Sept. 21, 1871 ; Albert, born Nov. 15, 1878; Ad- 
die, born March 7, 1870 ; Hermon, born Dec. 23, 1878 : 
Emma, born June 21, 1881 ; Bcrnice, born Ai)ril 28, 
1884; Charles and Nancy (twins) born April 20, 1-92; 
•died March 80, 1898. 



128 LIFE OF UANJSAll WKSTOJf 

Addie married Edgiir Turrey- Sept. 5, 1894 ; children! 
Hiram died in infancy \ Maurice and Clarence (twins), 
born March 20, 18H7 ; Hazel Kutli, born Feb. 14, 190(1; 
Knuth Edgar and Thella Luella (twinn), born Sept. 27, 
1901. 

Reside at Terre Haute, Ind. 

Emma married Charles G. Sproul, Sept, 24, 1898, of 
Beddington ; children : Sadie Lovicey, now live at 
AVaketield, Mass. 

Susan married Horace Leigiiton, March <>, 1^80 : 
live at Cherryfield ; one child, Lucretia, born A{)ril 23. 
1881. 

Guilford M. married Belinda McNaniaia, April 10» 
1881 ; reside at Sullivan, Me.; children : Alice, born 
March 15, 1882; Adali Libby, born May 22, 1880 

Charles B. married Lucretia Tabbutt, Oct. 27, 188() ; 
reside at Cherryfield ; children : Roy, born Oct. 28^ 
1887 ; Carl^ born Oct 12^ 1890 ; Ora^born Nov. 5, 1894. 

Frank married Angie Leigh ton, ()ct. 28, 1888. No 
children ; reside at Beddington. 

Charles H., of Amasa, married Abigail Gould, (Jet: 
29, 1 849 ; residence^ Beddington : one child, Sarah^ 
born March 25, 1850; died March 10, 1877. She mar- 
ried Robert Sproul of Cherryfield ; children : Charles^ 
born May Vd, 1874; Howard, born March 28, 1876. 

Charles married Emma Ingersoll, Sept. 24, 1898 5 
one child^ Sadie^ born Aug. 6, 1901, live in Wakefield^ 
Mass. 

Abigail^ wife of Chas. H., died March I8;i 1895. 

Cliarles H* married, second, Louisa Ingersoll of Co^ 



LIFE OF HANNAH WKSIOX 1 -'■> 

lunibia ill Sept., 188(> ; she died at lieddiiigton, Dec. 
15, 1899. 

Eri married, Elizabeth Pettengill of Hancock, Me., 
Aug. 18, 1853: lived at Beddingtoii ; she died Jan. :il, 
1860; children: William, born May 22, 1854; died 
Dec. 80, 187o : Alvah, born June 15, 185(); Horace, 
born July 15, 1859. 

Eri married, second, Hannah H. Small, Oct. 21, 1860; 
she died in July, 1861. 

Eri married, third, Aurilla Wilson, July ;J, 1862- 
They resided at Beddington ; she now lives at Cher- 
ry field ; cliildren : Arthur, born May 8, 1868 ; Eri, 
born March 81, 1869; died Sept. 10, 1885 ; AYiUiam PI., 
born Jan. 18, 1874. 

Arthur now is in the V. S. service at the l^iillipine 
islands ; unmarried. 

Alvah, of Eri's first marriage, married Celia Small 
in 1882 ; residence, Oherryfield ; she died in 1896 : 
children: Fred, born 1888: Eli, born 1887; Dora, 
born 1889; Everett, born 1894; Sept. 80, 1893 married 
Sarah G. Heath of New Brunswick. 

William, of Eri's third wife's ehildrcn married 
Maggie Kelly, Dec, 7, 1897; hve in Beddington; 
children: Tenia, l)orn June 15, 189.^; Flora, July 
12, 1902. 

Joseph W. married Annie C, Schoppe, Sept. 28, 1856; 
children : Kate, l)orn July 9, 1857 ; died Oct. 14, 
1872; Jason, born March 29, 1859; Amasa, born 
Dec. 6, 1865 ; Lyman, born Nov. 27, 1867 ; Edith, born 
Nov. 18, 1869; Bertha, l)orn Dec. 8, 1871. 



130 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON 



Jason married Grace Jenkins, March 10, 1883; resi- 
dence, Portland ; children : Harold, Ijorn Juh^ 29, 
1884 ; Joseph, born Aug. 14, 1891 ; Elmer, born Nov. 
28, 1893; Elsie, born April 1, 1896. 

Amasa C, married Delle Watts, June 1, 1893 ; resi- 
dence, Cherryfield ; children : Neal, born April 1, 
1894; Ina, born April 21, 189(3; Nora, born Nov. 12, 
1898 ; Paul, born Aug. 5, 1901. Rev. Lynn V. Farns- 
worth, now at Steuben. 

Edith married William P. Shaw, xVug. 10,1898; 
residence. East Eddington, one child; Roger F., June 
1, 1899. 

Bertha, uimuirried. 

Phebe married Joseph Campbell, Dec. 24, 1852 ; she 
now resides at Three Lakes, Wis.; he died at Omro, 
Wis., Sept. 15, 1883; children : Louis, born in Cher- 
rylield, Dec. 24, 1852; Talbut, born in Cherryfield, 
April 2, 1854 ; Charles, born in AVisconsin, April 27, 
18(50 ; Amasa, born in Wisconsin, Nov. 15, 1861 ; Kate 
born in Wisconsin, Feb. 22, 1863 ; Fred, born in Wis- 
consin, Sept. 9, 1865. 

jjouis umnarried : resides at West Superior, Wis. 

Talbut married Hattie L. Walter, Dec. 24, 1877, res- 
idence, West Superior ; children; Arthur, born Jan. 
12, 1881 ; Hattie, born Sept. 12, 1887 ; Dora, born 
April 21, 1890. 

Charles married Myrtie Thompson in Wisconsin, 

June 27, 1893. In July, 1893, they Avent to Zitacuaro, 

Mexico, as missionaries. He died at Guadalazara, 
Jalpa, Mexico, Sept. 17, 1899. Mrs. Thompson is still 
engaged in missionary work at Sombrererete, Zacete- 



LIFE OF HANNAH WESTON IHl 

<?a,s, Mexico ; cliildien : Doiuikl, born Dec. i^i, 1895; 
Dorothy, l)orn March 19, 1898. 

Amasa married Carrie B. Brush in May, 1888, live 
iit Antigo, Wis.; children : Hugh, born May 9, 1889; 
Shirley, l)orn Jane 30, 1892 ; Mary, born Nov. 11, 1898. 

Kate married Geo. A. Robbins, Sept. 15, 1887, reside 
at Sheboygan Falls ; one child, Fred, born Sept. 28, 
1892. 

Fred S. married Stella M. Kent, June 25, 1890, at 
Three Lakes, Wis.; children : George A., born Sept. 
21, 1893 ; Frank R., born Nov. 13, 1895. 

Amelia married, second, Wm. Longfellow, former 
residence, Sheboygan Falls, Wis.; now Marinette, Wis.; 

no children. 

Albert G. married Mary Thompson, Nov. 7, 1858; 
lived in Beddington; she died Feb. 22, 1862; one 
child, Florence, born Sept. 29, 1860; she married John 
R. DuBourdieu, Aug. 1, 1889 ; children : Edna, born 
Mav 7, 1890 ; Maria, born Aug. 19, 1895 ; Jennie, born 
Feb. 18, 1898; died Jan. 31, 1899 ; Albert Ross, born 

June 27, 1900. 

Albert G. married, second, Asenath Thompson, Sept. 
20, 1864; she died Oct. 16, 1879; one child, Mary, 
born Aug. 1, 1867: died Sept. 20, 1874. 

Albert G. married, third, Medora T. Kelly, April o, 
1888 ; one child, Earle, born April 26, 1889. 

Daniel Coffin, son of Matthew Coffin, jr., born, 
township 23 (now Centreville), March 30, 1803: died 

Nov. 8, 1889, Beddington. 

Amelia Weston, born in Jonesboro, Oct. 10, 1802 ; 
died May 6, 1884 ; Daniel and Amelia married Aug. 



1*^2 I.IFK OF HANNAH WESTOX 

31, 1822 ; children : Eri, bom Jan. 22,1824; died 
Jan. 16, 1827; Lydia, born Aug. 16, 1826; died July 
19, 1833 ; Sophi'onia, bom June 27, 1828 ; died July 5, 
1900; Horace, ))orn July 19, 1880 ; died Oct. 16, 1844; 
Francis, born Sept, 11, 1880; died March 21, 1881; 
Wm. Augustus, bom July 18, 1835; Sevelar, born 
Oct. 30, 1837 ; Lu(3ius, born March 11, 1840 ; Hillard 
born March 27, 1843 ; died Sept. 17, 1862. 

Sophronia married ^Vnthony Schoppe, June 4, 1846, 
at Centre ville and came to Beddington, where she 
lived until her death ; children : Sylvia, born Feb. 11, 
1848; John, born Dec. 21, 1849 : died March 28, 1855; 
Charles, born April 80, 1852: D. Campbell, born 
March 2, 1854 ; John, born Feb. 7, 1857 ; Seth, born 
June 13, 1859; Emily, born Dec, 6, 1861; died April 
30,1872; Frank, born Oct. 22, 1864; Hillard, boin 
March 11, 1867 ; Maud, born April 19, 1870. 

Sylvia married Benj, ChaiKllei', Fel). 10, 1882, reside 
at Dexter, Me.; no children, 

Charles married Anna Fickett, Jan. 8, 1888; live in 
Cherrylield ; children : 

Anthony Harley Earl Preston 

D. Campbell married Fannie Small, Sept. 27, 1881 ; 
live in Cherryheld ; childi-en : 

Emily Jessie llirani Helen 

Jessie died in infancy, 

John married Edna Simmons, Foxboro, Mass., Oct, 
11, 1888 : live at E. Eddington, Me.; no children. 

Seth married Emma Swett of Xorthlield, Me.; live 
at Cherrylield ; one^child, Delia, died in infancy. 

Frank Schoppe married Ada Garland, April 4, 1894; 



LIFE OF HANMAII WESTON l;);; 

1-eside in Clierrytield ; one chikl, Hazel. 

Maud married George 8tillman, May li), 1895 ; live 
in Beverly, Mass.; no children. 

Francis married Emily Smith, Machias, great grand 
daughter of Rev. James Lyon; lived in Machias; 
children: Fannie, born Sept. 20, 1864; Herbert, born 
Oct. 14,1871. Fannie married George Hall; live in 
HaA^erhill, Mass.; one child, Robert Ames. Herbert is 
a practising physician in Haverhill. 

\A'm. Augustus married Ruth Schoppe of Jonesboro, 
March 19, 1863 ; live at Beddington ; children : Mary, 
born Aug. 27, 1867 ; Alice, born Dec. 19, 1875. 

Alice married J. Carlton Bicknell, Aug. 16, 1899; 
live in Portland, Me. 

Sevela married Sylvester McLellan of Trescott, 
April -28, 1857 ; he died in the Civil War, Dec. 22, 1865, 
she married Xoah Rice of China, Me.; after his death 
she married Wm. Putnam, now living in Lewiston : 
^children: Valorous McLellan, born June 27, ]858; 
Amelia McLellan, born Feb. 25, 1860; Xellie Mc- 
Lellan married June 3, 1862 ; died in infancy ; Xoah 
Rice, born Oct. 15, 1866; Vestia Rice, born Xov. 27, 
1871. 

Amelia married Augustus Barker, April, 1 878 ; live 
in Worcester, Mass.; children : Xellie, born Feb. 25, 
1880 ; Edith, born July, 1882. 

Noah Rice married Minnie Sturdevant, July, 1889; 
live in Auburn, Me.; cliildren : Dora, died in infancy, 
Shirley. 

Yestia Rice married A. Fred Evans, Feb. 28, 1890 ; 
live at Lewiston ; cliildren : Leroy, died young, 
Elmer, Marion. 



Luciu.H Coftiii unnianiect lives in Xevada : engaged 
in mining. He served in the Army of the Potoma( 
during the Civil Wart as lieutenant of his Compan\ ; 
going west at the (?lose of the war; where he remained; 

Hillard, of Daniel, was instantly killed, during the 
battle of An tie tarn, Sept. IT, 18i>2. 

Sally married Richard E. Oilman ; children : Joseph 
W., Harrison;* Levi^ died in infancy^ Sopliia^ Levi. 

Joseph and Sophia nevt^r married. 

V\"m, Harrison, when a <'hild, was ildopted by his 
unclej Francis Bchoppe. Willitim H. married Antoi- 
nette Farnswortli ; ehildreri • Jjinies^ Albei't^ Frank 
H., Famiie. 

Albert niarried Kena Fariis\\ ortli ] ehildreii ; Har- 
rison, David, died when young. 

Levi B. married Sarah C, daughter of Fhilliji 
Hatch i Willie, KiiSvsell, Leroy, Aiigelia. 

Russell married Madge ]>. ^h\ist^))>; eliildreu: Mil- 
ton, Karl, Allen, Liba, 

Angelia married Thomas M. Morris \ children : 
Willie^ Val'nie= 

Joseph Weston iniirried Sopiiia Jones of Steuben ; 
children ; *Jones, Horace \i.] *Frau(fis; *Kannah^ 
Harriet, '* Jones* *Joseph, EliziU Joseph. 

*Died in infancy or in early youth, 

Konlc.e married Nancy F; Tupper of Jonesboro : 
children : Harriet, born xVpril IG;, 1802 t Frank, born 
Novi 24* 1867 ; Horace^ born Sept. 25;. 1869: Grace, 
bdrn April 2^ 1871: Laura, born April 24, 1874^, 
James, born May 30, 1881 : died Oct. 17, 1890. 

Harriet, of Joseph, married Leverett C. Bridgham 
of Beddington : (children: Mary, born Sept. 18, 1869 i 



Lois, born March -28, 1871 : II(>l(.ii, boiii Doc. 28. ixT;!: 
Arthur, born Mai eh '29, 1875: Eliza, born \ov. 20, 
t877: Sarah, born Xov. 18, 1880: Xcllie, born Ajnil 
% 1888 : G]>aoe. lx)ri» Maj'ch 2(), 1 880. 

Mr. f.. C. Brklghani was niembor of the Ist Mahi*- 
fleavv Artillery, Co. fl, in the Civil W ar : a regiment 
that sutfered the greatest loss of any hi tlw Union 
^rrriy. He was wounded at Petersinirg-, .Imie .18, 1864: 

Moraee R-., who is now living at Winter Harboi-, 
Me., vserved in the Tnion army during tbe war : en- 
b'sting Oct. 17s 1801, as a private in Co. I, 18th Kegi- 
inent: Maine \'ohinteers> serving iji this command 
three years, when tl>e Regiment's tin\e expired : 
^passed throLigii the grades of promotion to '^Orderly 
Sargeant'' of his company. On Ixdng nnostered out of 
that eonnnand he enlisted as Orderly Sai-gent, Co. H, 
"First Bataliion, Oaine Infantrys" served one and a 
Ira If year to close of tlie war. 

Harriets of Horace-, married -Kdwin Pineo; chi]*!!-*.'));: 
Riilpli Albert NW 'Mf>rac<^ M. 

Harriet married-, seconds Oliver tlatborn ; ciuldr*-!) : 
'Elizabeth, died in infancy, Marjoiy. 

Frank* of Hra-ace, niarried ;\nnal>el .Myri«;k : one 
child. Haze] W. 

Horace tn married Ida Bickfoi'd: one child, Mar<-ia \ 

(irace G. married Andrew ('hadboin-nc : no rhildrcn. 

Laura B. married Alexander J.Grant of Edinburgh. 
Seotkuxi; children : Alexander S., died in infancy or 
in early youth : Dorothy W .: .lames S., he (lied in his 
ninth year. 

Mr. Grant at one tini*' did editorial work nn iIk- 
'Bar Hnrh«>r R»N-ord. 



136 



LIFE OF HA]»fNAH WESTOX 



It comes to me, the following hymn, as the favorite 
of Mrs. Weston ; some one^ as is told, found it in a 
book subsequent to her death, both book and hymn 
bore marks of much handling ;— the latter is easily 
taken, an agreeable expression of duty and kindness i 
her own life mirror. 



mMETHtNG ^ACM DAY. 

"Something each day — a smile, 

It is not much to give, 
And the little gifts of life 

Make sweet the days we live. 
The world has weary hearts 

That we can bless and cheer, 
And a smile for every day 

Makes sunshine all the year. 

Something each day — a word, 

We cannot know its power ; 
It grows in fruitfulness 

As grows the gentle flower, 
What comfort it may bring. 

Where all is dark and drear. 
For a kind word every day 

Makes pleasant all the year. 

"Something each day — a thought* 

Unselfish, good and true, 
That aids another's need, 

While we our way pursue ; 
That seeks to lighten hearts . 

That leads to pathways clear \ 
For a helpful thought each day 

Makes happy all the year. 



KJVE (^V HANNAH WESTON I '^ ' 

Something each day— a deed 

Of kindness and of good. 
To link in closer bonds 

All hun:ian brotherhood 
And. thus the Heavenly wilL 

We all may do while here ; 
For a good deed every day 

Makes blessed all the year." 

Flowers spring to bloom where she walks 

The careful ways of duty ; 
Our hard, stiff lines of life with her 

Are flowing curves of beauty. 

Our homes are cheerier for her sake. 

Our dooryards brighter blooming. 
And all about the social air 

is sweeter for her coming. 

Her presence lends its warmth and health. 

To all who cume before it 
If woman lost us Eden, such ^ 

As she alone restore it. — UA'^i^^^a 



A lady who was present sent tlie following note on 
Ihe services at the unveiling of the monument. 

The unveiling or removal of the flag from the mon- 
ument was done hy Miss Grace Bridgham, sixteen 
vears old ; Miss Hannah Weston Church, four years 
old; Miss Fay Smith, five years old; all claiming to 
V,e descendants, the older in the fifth generation and 
.he two younger in the sixth, from Kannah WestuK 

The services were very impressive. Nearly thiee 
hundred people were present. Rev. Mr. Harding s 



us 



lAVK OF IiAN>.'AH \\i:s)«»\ 



addrej>.K was au eloquent tribute to the heroine, v\hos(^ 
memory tills day's doing perpetuate. The speaker 
alluded to the slight .shower that oeeurred as a Ija})-^ 
tismal (.)tt'ering from Heaven ; thus elearing the air 1<» 
give renewed .strength and force to eaeh soul licre 
present. 

The eft'eet of the prayei*, the nmsie an<l the ins})ir' 
ing- words of the address, all |)eeuliarly soleuni, in the 
midst of the natural beauty of the surrounding field, 
river and young forests near by ; recalling vividly the 
past, and the life work of Mj-s. Weston: on the spot of 
her first and last place of abode— the childhood days 
and the days of mature years—wheii she last looked 
on family and friends— with dinnned eye and de[)art- 
ing life ; as the leaf falleth silently to earth. 

The Hannah Weston Chapter^ I). A, K. are about 
(February, 1908) to place an order for a substantial 
iron fence to enclose the ^^'eston l)urial lot. 



]AXNA!I VVKSTOX CUAITKR, 1). A. U. 
MAC II IAS, i\IAIXE. 

3Jrs. Eli/abelli L. ("licUidlcr, Mar/iiu^^ 

Mrs. Lucy i\Iei'(;y Curtis i^ailey, 

JNIiss Grace DoiiW(>rth, " 

Mrs. Marv O'Brien fJroNMi, " 

Mrs. P^ffie Ward l^albot. 

Miss Lucy Talbot Ames, '^ 

3Irs. Lee W. Longfellow, •' 

31rs. Grace 8ai"gent Wakelield, " 

Mrs. Fainiie 0. Gate.s, *' 

Mrs. Cora Kane, " 

3Irs. LoUie K. CaiupbeU Sanborn, " 

Miss Mina Ray Getchell, " 

Miss Mary Bowker M(!lvellar, " 

Mrs. Olive Pemiinran A^ose, " 

Mrs. Bertha Crane, " 

Miss Emily Hansconu " 

Mrs. Louise F. Crane, 

Mrs. Hattie F. P. Allen, 

Mrs. Helen Sargent, 

Miss Edith Taylor, 

3Irs. Ainiie Walling, " 

Mrs. Amanda Crane, " 

Mrs. Emilv F. Crocker, 

Mrs. Nellie Hill Ames, " 



(.(, 



i( 



140 LIFE OF HANNAH WKSPoN 

Mrs, Wiiifred Xoae, CalaU 

Mrs. Frances Agnes Wilder, ]*embroke 

Mrs. Cliira Edna Wri-.ht, Somerville^ M.ie.'<, 
Mrs. Susan Sanborne Gardner. AV/.s*/ Machla« 
Mrs. Josephine ('ampbell, Chtn-yf.eld 

Mrs. Claire Archibald, Moncton., X, B. 

Mt-h. Mattie Robl>, SWaffn Citi/, CaL 

Mrs. Sabrina Hall, (real daughter) Jotiedforo 
Airs. Ada Sargent Gardner, Dtntufsvilh 

Mrs. Emily G. Wiswell, lutst Mrchuys 

Mrs. l^ura K. Beam, W^rtnoHt 

Miss Emma F. McDonald, Worcester, Mass, 
Miss Elizabeth L. Penniman, Ocfmbridf/e, Miiss. 
Mrs. Amy Odell McAllister, raJa;<< 



)\ 



